"Fabregas has exceeded all our expectations," Mirwan Suwarso told football-italia.net, and that line gets to the point before Manchester United visit Como. The hosts are no longer a novelty stop on Lake Como. Suwarso's case is that their rise has come from sustainability, planning and the direction provided by C. Fabregas, not from throwing money at the squad and hoping it sticks.

Suwarso's message before United arrive

Suwarso was just as clear on the model behind it. Speaking to football-italia.net, he said: "We don’t consider ourselves revolutionaries, and we don’t think we’re doing anything different from anyone else. We’re simply doing things we’ve seen others do, perhaps in other countries or other sports. At the end of the day, it’s business and we have to be sustainable."

That is the club's pitch in plain terms. Como want to be seen as well-funded, yes, but also disciplined. In a sport full of projects that talk a lot about identity and burn through cash anyway, that is a fair distinction to make.

Suwarso also tied the whole thing directly to Fabregas. He told football-italia.net: "Fabregas has exceeded all our expectations. That’s why people think we built the roof first, but we always tried to build the foundations first, because you need a broad vision and a direction. Cesc brought us that."

The detail that gives that quote a bit more weight is Fabregas' day-to-day involvement. Suwarso said he writes reports for the owners before matches. That goes beyond touchline image and fits the argument that Como have tried to build a structure around him rather than simply borrow his name.

Como's progress is not theoretical

The results back up the sales pitch. Como are fifth in Serie A after seven matches with 14 points and a 4-2-1 record. Across their last five league games, they have won three, drawn one and lost one, a run that includes Sunday's 3-1 win away at Fiorentina.

They have also handled the step into Europe without looking overwhelmed. Como sit 17th in the Champions League table after two matches with three points, and one of those nights was a 4-1 win over RB Leipzig on their Champions League debut.

That is why the sustainability line lands. Clubs can talk about long-term planning all they like, but Como are pairing it with immediate competitiveness in both competitions.

The rise itself needs a bit of care because it is being framed in two slightly different ways. Suwarso's comments point to a club that has gone from Serie B to the Champions League in little more than two seasons, while other reporting around this run has emphasised Como's return to Serie A after a 21-year absence. Both versions tell you the same broad truth: the climb has been quick, and much quicker than most clubs manage without chaos along the way.

Recruitment has played its part too, though the numbers argue against any wild overstatement. Nico Paz has made seven Serie A appearances and returned two goals and two assists, while Como's broader profile remains the more important point. This squad looks chosen for the project rather than assembled for headlines.

Daniele Verri summed that up in comments quoted by dailymail.com: "They didn't just do an Abramovich and buy anything that would move on two legs. They just went step-by-step and they’ve done it really well... they are still doing it well."

The test United are walking into

United will arrive to face a club with a modest stadium, a coach-president alignment that seems unusually tight, and a team already collecting enough results to make the story feel real. Como are not being carried by nostalgia or branding alone.

Sunday's 3-1 win at Fiorentina was the latest sign of that, and it came right before this visit from United. Whatever anyone makes of the pace of the rise, the hosts go into the game fifth in Serie A and fresh from beating Fiorentina away.

FAQ

Why are Como being described as a sustainable football project before facing Manchester United?

Como president Mirwan Suwarso says the club do not see themselves as revolutionaries and that they have to be sustainable. His argument is that the rise has come from copying smart ideas, building foundations first and giving Cesc Fabregas the room to set the direction, rather than chasing a quick, expensive shortcut.

How quickly have Como risen before the Manchester United game?

The climb has been fast. Como are also being described as a club that went from Serie B to the Champions League in little more than two seasons, while another part of the story is their return to Serie A after a 21-year absence. They have already opened their Champions League campaign with a 4-1 win over RB Leipzig.

What has Cesc Fabregas changed at Como?

Suwarso credits Fabregas with giving Como broad vision and direction. He also says Fabregas has exceeded all expectations. The detail that stands out is how involved he is behind the scenes too, with reports for the owners before matches, which fits the idea of a tightly run project rather than a vanity club.

Are Como actually competing well this season or is it just hype?

They are competing. Como are fifth in Serie A after seven matches with 14 points and a 4-2-1 record. They also beat Fiorentina 3-1 on Sunday and sit 17th in the Champions League table after two matches with three points, so this is not just a branding exercise.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →