Following the Lombardy Derby between Como and Monza, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Como’s head coach Cesc Fabregas shared his thoughts on the match and the team’s performance. The game, part of the 14th round of Serie A, showcased the struggles both teams face as they fight to avoid relegation.
Fabregas began by discussing the challenges his team encountered during the match. “Today we didn’t have much depth on the bench. We are in a bit of a difficult moment with injuries,” he noted. He expressed that while Como performed well in the first half, they lost focus in the second half. “We should have been the ones pressing them, not the other way around. The penalty, which is already our fifth of the season, changed the dynamics of the game and gave them confidence.”
Reflecting on Como’s current situation, Fabregas stated, “It’s not our moment; it’s not easy to play under this pressure. I am very demanding and want us to maintain our identity. Defensively, we are not doing well, but we need to analyze everything and gradually improve.”
Fabregas also addressed the need for better decision-making in critical moments. “We need to make better choices in the last 15-20 meters. Believe me, we are working hard on this because it’s something we are missing. But ultimately, it comes down to quality; it’s not that the players don’t want to do well. If we have five chances, we need to convert more than just one,” he explained.
He highlighted another area for improvement: counterattacks. “We must be better at dealing with counterattacks because teams like this will always exploit your mistakes. We are an aggressive team that wants to play forward, but with teams that play like this, counterattacks are dangerous.”
Fabregas concluded by emphasizing the importance of being more assertive on the pitch. “We need to learn to commit more fouls when necessary. Finally, Iovine understood this and received a yellow card at the end to stop a counterattack, but we are still too nice. This is also because we have a young team. When they bypass our first press, we must learn to foul; it’s something we need to understand gradually.”
