It’s not just about tourism, beautiful views and a majestic lake. Now it’s also about football. Last season, the local team reached Serie A for the first time since 2003, after which it significantly strengthened. It definitely deserves your attention.
How he encourages Cesc Fabregas
Last summer, immediately after the end of his playing career, Cesc Fabregas remained at the Club. He stayed to start coaching and then become head coach, and at first attempt to get the second place in Serie B. Thanks to the combination play and unusual scheme. The Spaniard was an intelligent playmaker and is becoming a remarkably geeky coach with many traps for opponents. Here is his recent monologue on attacking formation in a masterclass for the YouTube channel Voice of Coaches.
“Every young coach has ideas formed from the experience gained in the player’s career under the guidance of different coaches. For several years I have been studying in detail the specific features of many schemes: how they adapt to certain teams and players.
For goal kicks, I prefer a 4-2-2-2 formation. The two centre-backs are positioned relatively wide. In case of active pressure from the opponents, the goalkeeper comes out third. The midfielders are close to each other, but not on the same line, and alternately interrupt the attack of the opposing team, offering themselves for a pass. This is how “triangles” are formed. If you perfect these interactions during training, coming out of defence will work like clockwork.
Cesc Fabregas
Photo: frame from the video.
The full-backs are also important. They, like no one else, must understand exactly when it is necessary to extend the attack and when to move from the flank to the centre. When we are under pressure, decisions need to be made quickly. The centre-back passes the ball to the inside player who has moved back, as if throwing it over a wall of pressing players. And then the full-back must support the attack, compensating for the lack of players up front.
On the one hand, it is necessary to overload the central zone with our players, because I don’t like possession for the sake of possession. The most important goal is to get the ball into the final third as quickly as possible. On the other hand, it is necessary to stretch the defence so that our attackers have more freedom in the midfield. Thus, the opponent becomes more dependent on the level of their central defenders – they are constantly in limbo and often have to be pushed off the line. We provoke them by dropping back and seemingly asking: “Will you follow me or give me space?”
Cesc Fabregas
Photo: Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
Changing positions, moving the ball, correctly positioning the body – all these aspects are extremely important for the high-quality reproduction of the principles of our game. I try to instil in the players the principles that I myself have absorbed: focusing on moving the ball and attacking. This requires a lot of involvement and constant practice of movements in training. Instead of randomly throwing the ball and hoping “whatever happens”, I choose this style of play.”
The star quality of “Como” is a pleasant surprise
Thanks to the selection based on the principle “Are you a forgotten star? Let’s take it!” “Como” can easily be called the Italian “Khimki”. In Serie B, the team was helped by famous Milan graduates Patrick Cutrone (14+4 in 32 matches) and Simone Verdi (8+2 in 34 matches). And now they have been joined by such a powerful gang that after every transfer you involuntarily think: really, you too?
First of all, there is Pepe Reina, who is almost 42 years old. He is five years older than Fabregas and is still in business! Last season, the veteran played 12 games for Villarreal, and this season he has already played twice for Como. And in total, in regular time, against Juventus (0-3) and Sampdoria (1-1, 3-4 penalty) they lost four times. But he also saved the 11-meter shot in the post-match series. However, Emil Audero was signed as his competitor. In theory, the main one should be the former Sampdoria goalkeeper. Although the winner of Euro 2008 is probably against it.
Pepe Queen
Photo: Matteo Bottanelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Como’s star newcomer is 31-year-old Raphael Varane. About three years ago, Manchester United paid Real Madrid 40 million euros for him, and now he came to the Serie A newcomer for free. This is due to injuries, due to which the Frenchman’s name has become synonymous with the word “crystal”. And now the defender is back in the hospital, having suffered an injury in the first friendly match. But he is about to return to duty.
Fabregas now has 32-year-old Alberto Moreno running down the left in defence. Like Reina, he was brought in for free from Villarreal. But for 30-year-old Andrea Belotti, he had to pay 4.5 million euros. In Rome, the striker lost the competition and was frankly bored. I also failed to shine with Fiorentina while on loan. Maybe it will be Cesc who will revive his career?
At the top club level, they are all, as Leonid Fedun would say, “downed pilots”. But for the Como Status team, these are real finds. So far, no new big names have appeared there. However, that is not all. There were also rumours that Memphis Depay, Anthony Martial and Sergi Roberto would be sent to Como (there is even a “hirwigou” of Fabrizio Romano). There is also news about the upcoming purchase of Nico Paz from Real Madrid. And even now Como’s composition is estimated at 84.7 million euros, more expensive than that of Monza (84.6 million euros), Cagliari (66.85 million euros), Verona, Venezia (63 million euros each) and Empoli (58.8 million euros).
Alberto Moreno, Andrea Belotti, Raphael Varane
Photo: Fake Images
Where did Como get the money?
There are two Indonesian investors to thank: Robert and Michael Hartono. Their father, Oei Wie Gwan, made a fortune in the tobacco industry but died in a fire. The brothers lovingly managed the generous inheritance and made the Djarum tobacco empire one of the largest in the world. Its products are exported to all continents. By the way, we warn you that smoking kills.
At the same time, Hartono has much more than just a smoking business: he owns the Polytron electronics brand, a supermarket chain, telecommunications and media companies, financial organizations, many hotels, luxury real estate in Jakarta and is among the hundred richest people in the world on the Forbes list. Robert is ranked 71st with a fortune of $26.5 billion, Michael is ranked 76th ($25.5 billion). They also say that one cannot conduct monetary business with relatives.
Each of the Hartono brothers is far richer than all the other Serie A club owners put together. The closest pursuer is Fiorentina boss Rocco Commisso ($8 billion). Despite their incalculable wealth, they are rather modest. This is how former Como mayor Mario Landriscini described the deal with them, which took place in 2019: “We proposed that the Hartono brothers meet for the first time in Milan, but they insisted on negotiating in our city. Moreover, not in the centre, but somewhere on the outskirts.
The dinner took place in a small establishment. Mr. Hartono was very impressed with its design and history. The negotiations went well and the buyers presented an interesting strategy according to which Como could systematically improve over several years. We very much appreciate their plans; after all, the club has always been considered a cultural asset of our city.”
Former mayor of Como, Mario Landriscini (left), negotiated with the Hartono brothers
Photo by: ZumaTASS
In five years, Michael and Robert turned a poor club into a candy. Of course, the brothers are not short of managerial skills. Previously, Como experienced several bankruptcies and, in 2017, was finally almost buried by the wife of former Chelsea footballer Michael Essien Akosua Puni. She gave away 237,000 euros and ambitiously announced an upcoming revival. But she quickly got tired and “disappeared from the radar”, simply by not answering calls. There came a time when the Italians were looking for outside investors and Pugni did not even have 10,000 euros of contribution to participate in Serie C. As a result, Como was condemned, banished to a lower league and stripped of its name: in fact, it is now not “Como”, but “Como 1907”.
Hartono hired two famous ex-footballers to help run the club. The chief executive was Dennis Wise, who made 427 appearances for Chelsea. Incidentally, only seven others played. Not only did he improve Como’s infrastructure, but he also brought in Fabregas.
Things are not looking good for Chelsea at the moment:
The city is in a bad state. But even this did not save Chelsea.
“Wise immediately said: ‘Cesc, we know you are training to be a coach. The difference in level of play with Monaco and the beautiful nature will allow you to enjoy the game a little more and then we will invite you to join our training system.’ None of the clubs that offered me a contract thought about my career as a coach. I didn’t think about it for a long time,” Fabregas recalled.
Thierry Henry is also on the club’s list of shareholders. He could have invested in Como in the 2000s: while he was playing for Barça, he was suggested to do so by Como native Gianluca Zambrotta. It didn’t work out. Or rather, it turned out that everything has its time.
As it also has an incredibly beautiful stadium.
Finally, we suggest admiring the local sights. But then, this is Como! The Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium (named after a local resident who died in World War I) is located on the shore of that same lake. It was built back in 1927 and is due to celebrate its centenary. But it can only seat 13,602 spectators. Only Venice has fewer in Serie A (11,150). But what beauty surrounds it!
“Giuseppe Sinigaglia”
Photo: Fake Images
“Giuseppe Sinigaglia”
Photo: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images
Wise also had a hand in the stadium’s good condition: before his arrival, the foundations were flooded and mould was everywhere. The top management has refined everything inside and out. “Como” as a whole looks like an ennobled project. If the Indonesians do not suddenly abandon it, the club will be in Serie A seriously and for a long time.
All you need to know about other interesting Italian teams:
Osimhen’s escape, Atalanta’s curse and Juve’s recovery: Great preview of Serie A
