'A new world' - Cesc Fabregas ready for historic Como Champions League debut

Como secured a historic Champions League berth after finishing fourth in Serie A last season, capping a remarkable rise since returning to the Italian top flight in 2024. The side have risen at extraordinary speed under Fabregas and now prepare to face Europe's established heavyweights. The Spanish manager remains adamant that his team will stay true to the attacking principles that propelled them into the elite tier.

In an interview with TNT Sports, Fabregas reflected on the club's rapid rise while acknowledging the immense physical and emotional demands awaiting his young squad on Europe's biggest stage. He said: "The challenge is that when, for example, you go to Parc des Princes or to the Bernabeu, and you play, emotionally for the young players, it drains.

"85% of the team has never played Champions League football, and also, how will we adapt to playing on a Wednesday night in one of the biggest stadiums in the world, where the intensity is so high, and then three days later, you have to travel back.

"Then, you have to prepare the game in one day, recover, travel to wherever you're playing on Saturday, and compete at the same level. This, I cannot answer. We've never done it as a staff. 85% of the players have not been involved in any kind of situation like this. The club has never been in a situation like this.

"The fans have never been in a situation like this. So, this is a new world, but again, we take it as an amazing experience, as an amazing opportunity for all of us together, and I'm sure we will be at the right level."

Fabregas dismissed the idea of compromising his identity against European giants, insisting the bold mentality established during their Serie B days must remain intact: "We are very clear about how we want to play, what we want to do.

"Of course, sometimes you have to adjust to one team or another, but if we lose, we lose. But we don't change our model, our principles, our way of playing, because it took us a long time to build this.

"You play against the big boys, you need to play like a big boy," he added. "You need to defend like a big boy, you need to attack like a big boy, you need to have the ball like a big boy. For us, this will not be a problem. After that, we will be better or worse. We will win, we will lose.

"But I only want the team to play with personality, with courage and not to feel small. If we lose, it's because they are better than us. But not because we refuse to play the way we can, or [the way] we want to play."

Como have reinforced their defensive ranks ahead of their maiden Champions League campaign by signing Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea for €30 million (£25.6m). The Italian outfit have also brought in Adrian Lahdo, Mattia Liberali, Luis Milla, and Andres Cuenca, alongside loan deals for Yan Couto and Kaiki Bruno. The Champions League officially kicks off on Tuesday, September 8.