Fabregas hint at Como False 9 experiment ‘to hurt Milan’ | OneFootball

Cesc Fabregas gives hints who is playing False 9 for Como this evening against Milan, warning they must ‘not just keep the ball, but hurt them when we have the chance.’

It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 18: General view outside the stadium prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

This fixture was originally meant to be on February 8, but had to be moved because San Siro was being used for the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

After months of negotiations with the Australian authorities to shift it over to Perth, those plans were abandoned and it was simply delayed by 10 days.

Fabregas reshuffles Como for Milan test

NAPLES, ITALY – NOVEMBER 01: Cesc Fabregas Como 1907 head coach during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Como 1907 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on November 01, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

“If we need to motivate lads in a night like this, then we have a problem,” joked Fabregas on DAZN Italia.

“We are coming off a day that didn’t go well with Fiorentina, but the great thing about football is that it gives you the chance to make up for it four days later in an incredible stadium like this.”

Como have eliminated Napoli from the Coppa Italia on penalties and will face Inter in the semi-final next month, but in the last two Serie A games were held 0-0 by 10-man Atalanta and lost 2-1 at home to Fiorentina.

“We are not a team built to play twice a week, so we need to spread out some of the playing time, as we’ve been playing regularly for a while now. I think the lads are doing well, we rotated in the past and the lads responded well, so I have faith in everyone.”

COMO, ITALY – JANUARY 15: Como 1907 coach Cesc Fabregas looks on during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and AC Milan at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on January 15, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Milan beat Como 3-1 on January 15, despite having far less possession, so Fabregas makes adjustments here with a three-man defence and no recognised centre-forward.

Will Maxence Caqueret, Nico Paz or Martin Baturina be the False 9 this evening?

“They are all sort of False 9, we’ll see mobility, the way we play means creating spaces that we think can be useful to hurt Milan. When one player vacates that space, another can occupy it,” replied Fabregas.

“This is about not just keeping the ball, but trying to hurt Milan when we have the chance.”