Reporting note: this article draws on Sky Sports; Score808 Live provides the summary and editorial framing.
Como vs Man Utd is the next landmark in Como's rise, with Cesc Fabregas preparing his side for a Champions League clash at home. The fixture brings Manchester United to Como and places Fabregas at the centre of a club that has moved from Italy's lower leagues to Serie A and Champions League qualification.
Como vs Man Utd Marks Another Landmark
Como host Michael Carrick's Manchester United side in the Champions League. The match is another step in a sequence that began with Fabregas joining the club in 2022. He arrived towards the end of his playing career, with Como in Serie B, then retired, joined the academy coaching staff and became head coach of the senior team.
- Fabregas joins Como in 2022, with the club in Serie B.
- Como secure promotion to Serie A for the first time in 21 years.
- Como qualify for the Champions League last season for the first time in club history.
Carlalberto Ludi, Como's sporting director, says the visit is a defining page. "I started to work here in 2019 and there was nothing," Ludi said. "Now we have the Champions League, we have Man Utd at home, and it's something that is amazing, literally amazing."
Fabregas Shifts Como's Standards
Ludi credits Fabregas with changing the club's culture as well as its results. "Cesc made a big difference. Not only on the field, but also off the field, in my opinion - the culture of the club, everything. The professionalism, everything, to be honest," Ludi said.
Fabregas, 39, appeared at a news conference alongside summer signing Nico Paz. He fielded questions on several subjects, including whether he could one day become United's head coach. Ludi says one of Fabregas's best qualities is his willingness to learn. "He's very young, but he's so open-minded, to be honest. He's the first who wants to improve and learn," Ludi said.
Ludi describes the team's identity as a reflection of Fabregas. "Our team is Cesc Fabregas on the field. Courage, intelligence, talent, talented players. We are trying to do the same with our team," he said.
Bruno Fernandes Reunion at Novara
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Ludi shared a dressing room at Novara when Fernandes was 17. Ludi was captain as the teenager began his professional career. Fernandes later played for Udinese and Sampdoria before moving to Sporting Lisbon and then Manchester United.
Asked about the young Fernandes, Ludi described him as "phenomenal". "We met each other when he was a kid, literally a kid. He was a kid in a professional environment, so he probably wasn't ready to join a professional environment," Ludi said. "At the beginning, I needed to guide him in our dressing room in order for him to understand what being a professional meant."
Ludi says the reunion is unexpected. "I imagine it'll be nice to see him, maybe after the game, but to be honest, it would be fantastic to meet him in the Champions League. It's something I never expected, and it would be just fantastic," he said. He added that Fernandes was "a fantastic guy, a humble person, a top footballer" and "one of the best people I've ever met in my life".
What the United Visit Means for Como
Como's promotion to Serie A was secured by a draw against Cosenza in May 2024. That point laid the foundation for last season's Champions League qualification, the first in the club's history. The United fixture adds another entry to that record.
Ludi says the club wants the progress to last. "I don't want to be arrogant, but we are here to write the history of Como, and this is another page, a big page of our history," he said. "We want our fans to be proud of us and we want to compete, to fight, in order to write another page."
The original report is from skysports.com.
