Fabregas: ‘Como wanted Diego Carlos, anarchic talent of Baturina’ | OneFootball

Cesc Fabregas hails ‘anarchic talent’ Martin Baturina and reveals how hard Como tried to sign Diego Carlos, who will face them tomorrow playing for Parma.

It kicks off at the Stadio Sinigaglia on Monday at 17.30 UK time (18.30 CEST).

COMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 10: Cesc Fabregas, Manager of Como 1907, celebrates after the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Como 1907 and RB Leipzig at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on September 10, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

The Lariani are fresh from a remarkable run of games, including victory away to Napoli and a 4-1 win in their historic Champions League debut against RB Leipzig.

They were the only Italian side to register a win in Matchday 1 of the Champions League, thanks to goals from Baturina, Tasos Douvikas, Assane Diao and Maxi Perrone.

Fabregas steers Como through new era

COMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 10: Cesc Fabregas, Manager of Como 1907, celebrates after the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Como 1907 and RB Leipzig at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on September 10, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

“The emotion of playing the first ever Champions League game does fire you up,” said Fabregas in his press conference.

“I remember my debut at age 17, it’s special, and the Champions League does give a player different motivation. We’ve got to understand the importance of this game by recovering the right way, eating and drinking right.

“It’s up to me and my staff to understand who is ready to go again and who isn’t. There are 24 hours to go, everyone is at our disposal. We’ve got to be a team unit with a lot of energy, because Parma will come here hoping to take advantage of our fatigue.”

GENOA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 04: Cesc Fabregas, Manager of Como, looks on before the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on September 04, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

Como have not kept a single clean sheet so far this season, a surprising twist considering their solidity last term.

“There are always things to improve, perfection does not exist in football,” replied Fabregas.

“We were penalised by a couple of transitions in the Champions League, but it’s also true that we have new players in defence like Trevoh Chalobah and Yan Couto, so they will slowly get used to each other and our movements.”

NAPLES, ITALY – AUGUST 30: Cesc Fabregas, Manager of Como, reacts during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Como 1907 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on August 30, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Como had wanted to bring back Diego Carlos after a previous loan spell, but instead the defender ended up at Parma, and could start tomorrow.

“I spoke all summer to Diego, we have a great rapport. It’s true, he was always in our minds, but we had a wonderful conversation when it didn’t happen,” revealed Fabregas.

“He was part of our family, it didn’t happen in the end due to some minor details. There was a time last season when Kempf was injured and Ramon hadn’t played that often, so he really pushed to his limits, and we wanted to thank him.”

COMO, ITALY – MARCH 15: Diego Carlos of Como 1907 celebrates after scoring their team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and AS Roma at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on March 15, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The Lariani have become a genuine juggernaut after going from Serie B to the Champions League in the space of three years.

“I don’t get fired up when we do well, nor too downhearted when things go badly, so we must cut ourselves off from the media view and focus on our work,” insisted Fabregas.

“It seems like a fairy tale because it all happened so quickly. I studied the history of Como, what this club and city has been through, it is one of suffering. Now we’ve raised the level, the people in the city didn’t expect it, and we want to give them a dream.

“Yan Couto saw what happened on Thursday and said ‘wow, it’s special playing here.’ It is a great moment, this project and team can keep going strong if we stay united.”

COMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 10: Martin Baturina of Como 1907 celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with Nico Paz during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Como 1907 and RB Leipzig at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on September 10, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

The heroes of the Champions League win over RB Leipzig were Baturina and Assane Diao, who are flourishing after a complicated first season at Como.

“These players have potential, great talent, and are growing every day. Last season, partly also due to the injuries, Diao was more irritable when things went wrong, he was disturbed, afraid that something else would go wrong.

“Now he has found the right path and is calm, which isn’t easy after a long injury lay-off. The same is true of Baturina, who is a bit of an anarchic talent, he feels the right move to make. His first goal the other day was incredible, he always has the right posture and gets into the right place without needing to sprint.

“He also has ambition, hunger, that desire to go sliding in and get on the end of the ball. At the age of 23, he was finding himself last season, but now has the confidence and also humility to break the deadlock in any game,” concluded the coach.