Cesc Fabregas Honored as First Como Coach in Champions League History

Cesc Fabregas has expressed his deep honor and pride in becoming the first coach in Como's history to participate in the Champions League. He admits that certain decisions made by RB Leipzig have caught him by surprise ahead of the match.

This marks a truly historic occasion for the club, as it is their very first European fixture, and not just any competition, but the most prestigious tournament in club football. The Stadio Sinigaglia has undergone necessary renovations to meet the required standards for this significant event. In a gesture of appreciation, directors have opted to give up their seats for long-standing fans.

Fabregas Makes History with Como's Champions League Debut

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Fabregas stated, "Today is historic for our city and our club, but we must also perform well, focus, and be responsible, as we are facing a great team. We are honored to play in this competition, but now we must set all that aside and go out there to fight."

He noted that RB Leipzig's previous Champions League encounters with Italian teams did not end favorably, having lost to Juventus and Inter in the 2024/25 group stage, where they subsequently lost seven out of eight games in the competition.

"They made a few changes tonight that I wasn't expecting, so we'll see whether Andrija Maksimovic plays wide or in the center. They are very strong with their wingers and put a lot of bodies into the box," Fabregas added. "Leipzig are hungry and energetic; they play the kind of positional football that their coach favors, signing physically strong players who they can sell in the future. It is a significant test for us."

The team has a full squad available for the match, with the exception of long-term absentee Jayden Addai, as well as Maxence Caqueret and Edoardo Goldaniga, who are not included in the UEFA list.

"I always dream big, but life leads you into different situations. I believe in what I do and strive to transmit positivity. When we started here, the plan was to achieve this in four or five years, but we've managed it in just two and a half. Every step is increasingly important; we are here, and now we must compete in an important match."

Como now stands as the 16th Italian club to feature in the Champions League (including its predecessor, the European Cup). Fabregas took the helm when the team was in Serie B.

"I am very honored to be the first coach in the history of Como to participate in the Champions League. We are a very young club; we only started pushing hard two and a half years ago, and we must stick together for the good of Como and Italian football. In our own small way, we want to fly the flag for Italian football."