GdS: ‘Courage’ vs. concerns – Milan weighing up Sacchi-esque gamble on Fabregas

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·4 March 2025

GdS: ‘Courage’ vs. concerns – Milan weighing up Sacchi-esque gamble on Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas is the name AC Milan have circled in red to take over as head coach, a report claims, but is he a good fit?

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are currently thinking about ending the 2024-25 season with a shred of dignity and hiring a new sporting director to plan for the future. However, they will also be thinking about who should lead the team forward in the dugout.

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Fabregas’ Como are turning heads with a brilliant 2025 so far, and he spoke in a press conference about the three qualities he looks for in a team: “Quality, personality and courage.” After the recent win over Napoli, he added: “You need humility and courage.”

Fabregas is a fan of shared knowledge, of information that circulates. He can call Roberto De Zerbi or Vincenzo Italiano to discuss things and, to those who ask to attend his training sessions, he opens the doors of the training ground.

The paper compares him with Arrigo Sacchi, a coach hired at 41 (Fabregas is 37), from a provincial club (Parma like Como), chosen for his ambitious attacking ideas. Of course, there are zero guarantees it goes the same way, and that is why Milan may need some ‘courage’ too.

How Como play

Fabregas is direct with the players and his Como use a 4-3-3, with principles of positional football, high aggression and zero fear of the big teams. This is perhaps the most interesting aspect.

Como won away against Atalanta, at home against Roma and Napoli, were 1-0 up against Atalanta in the return match, 1-0 up against Milan, 2-0 against Bologna and with two minutes to go it was 1-1 with Juventus.

The fact that it hasn’t won any of these four games indicates that the journey is obviously long, but the work is visible and the table after the victories in the last two games are serene: 13th place, +7 above the relegation zone.

The statistics, which can lie a little but don’t tell a parallel reality, say eighth place in Serie A for forward passes, 14th for chances created, ninth for touches in the opponent’s area.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

The big issue

The main thing to consider is obviously timing, from both points o view. Does Fabregas have enough experience to coach with the pressure that surrounds Milan? Is it already time for the somersault from Como to Milan?

He only started coaching adults in November 2023, less than a year and a half ago therefore. On the other hand, he played for 15 years at Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea, won a World Cup, two European Championships, a Club World Cup, the Premier League (twice), LaLiga, the FA Cup and other minor silverware.

He has been in the dressing room with many greats, attended lessons from Wenger, Guardiola, Hiddink, Conte, Sarri, Del Bosque, Aragones. For that matter of shared knowledge, he has learned from the best, or some of the best.

“The most important thing is passion. In Como I found the ideal environment to consistently carry forward my idea of football,” Fabregas said. And a few days ago: “I signed a four-year contract with Como and I want to finish a project.”

He was answering a question about Roma but, until proven otherwise, the same applies to Milan.