Como’s Champions League Rise: What Cesc Fàbregas’ Project Really Says About Modern Football

It was a memorable European night for Como, as they beat RB Leipzig 4-1. It was a window into the possibilities of smart recruitment, financial support and tactical clarity to upset the traditional economic structure of football.

A club that had been waiting 119 years for its first European night, on a mild September evening, delivered a result that few could have predicted. Martin Baturina, Anastasios Douvikas, Assane Diao and Máximo Perrone all found the net as the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia went into a frenzy, tearing apart RB Leipzig 4-1.

Their coach, former Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, who retired from football at Como, described it as “a historic evening” for the club, in which he now owns a minority stake.

It was certainly that. However, the outcome was also more than just that.

The rise of Como is an interesting case study of what clubs can accomplish when they invest their money, have a clear recruitment strategy and a tactical identity, and show the patience to build a project instead of looking for instant success. 

Como Are Not Football’s Traditional Underdogs

It's easy to portray Como as a classic football fairy tale: a little club that comes from nowhere to face some of the biggest names in Europe.

The reality is more complicated.

The club's squad value and ambitions have been transformed as a result of the finances that Como has at their disposal thanks to their Indonesian ownership. They don't have the same financial situation as a common underdog of Serie A.

But the question is not really whether a club with limited funds could beat Leipzig; it's how they've allocated their funds to achieve that feat.

Rather than just forming a team around well-known players, the club has been very keen on signing younger players who have great development potential and, importantly, players who are suited to Fàbregas' style of football.

Perhaps the most obvious is Nico Paz. Real Madrid had to go through a complicated negotiation to sell the attacking midfielder to Como, which cost around €60m. Baturina and Diao are another facet of the same approach and are youthful and technically capable with potential. Meanwhile, some veteran players like Trevoh Chalobah provide defensive solidity without altering the team's identity.

It creates a team that looks like it's built around a footballing concept, not a list of transfer sales.

That distinction matters. 

Como President, Roberto e Micheal Hartono

Fàbregas Has Given Como an Identity

While money has sped up Como's development, it's not everything about the team that can be accounted for by the monies.

Fàbregas has created a system that is based on possession and high intensity with a 4-2-3-1 formation. His attacking players are urged to change the position on the pitch, create numerical superiority and find gaps between the defense.

This is especially significant for players like Paz and Baturina. Instead of trying to line them up in a specific formation, Fàbregas seems to be happy to develop the attacking system around their creativity.

There's also the psychological aspect.

If players feel like the manager has faith in them to carry out an ambitious tactical system, they will be more inclined to commit to it. That connection between coach and players is one of the most interesting aspects of the project at Como.

Fàbregas is not just putting in place a system. He is working to establish a situation where the players are aware of the "why" of their game.

Even for clubs that have significantly more resources, that can be challenging to produce. 

Fàbregas as a coach

The Champions League Still Belongs to the Super-Rich

But, at the same time, it would be a mistake to equate Como's success with the disappearance of football's financial hierarchy.

It has not.

The financial landscape of Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid remains very different to that of most European sides. They have one advantage, and that's their ability to spend a lot of money. More importantly, they can assemble huge squads that can take injury, fixture congestion and poor runs of form without the quality of the team breaking down.

That depth will be crucial in the Champions League.

The increased competition format has opened up greater opportunities for clubs that are not traditionally considered elite. The more matches you play, the more exposure you will have, you will be able to win more money, and you will have more opportunities to play against the largest teams in Europe.

However, the economic imbalance is still there.

Clubs with already strong squads will tend to be the ones best equipped to take advantage of the extra demands of European football. They can make changes to their XI without losing significant strength, whereas smaller teams have a lot less margin for error.

That's why it was such an interesting win for Como against Leipzig.

This was not evidence that the playing field for money had been levelled. It was proof that when money is complemented with intelligent decision-making, it can get the needed result in the right night. 

How Far Can Como Really Go?

This is where the fairy tale meets reality when it comes to sporting the best.

The success in one Champions League match is no indication of future success. This will be a challenge for Como to balance with the demands of Serie A and the European stage, but Fàbregas will need to play his merry ball very carefully to ensure that his team remains as intense and creative as they have been in the past.

Eventually, the strength of the team will be put to the test.

If key players are injured or if creator Paz and Baturina fall back on form, weaknesses might become more apparent when the first choice XI is not on the field. Finally, European football is also about travel, pressure and a fixture schedule that can turn out to be a death sentence for teams lacking depth.

However, there is another reason to think that Como might have a future beyond this one memorable campaign.

Fàbregas is very much involved in the project. He played for the club, and is still a minority shareholder and has the job of deciding the club's football direction. That provides a continuity that is rare in today's football.

He is no passing through coach.

The ownership also appears prepared to think beyond a single season. If this patience persists, Como have a chance to make a sustainable cycle of identifying young talent, developing it, playing at a higher level, and then reinvesting smartly.