Nico Paz's 'nonstop' work is paying off as Cesc Fabregas praises match-winner after €70m Tottenham bid rejected

There couldn't have be a better start to the Serie A for Fabregas as Como registered a decisive 2-0 win over Lazio. The Spanish coach was full of praise for his players, especially Paz, who displayed a match-winning performance by scoring a goal and providing an assist to seal the win. The Como coach claims it's the work ethic and the eagerness of his player's that have helped them clinch victory.

Tottenham were left disappointed after their €70 million (£61m/$82m) bid for the ex-Real Madrid midfielder was rejected by Como. Reportedly, Madrid have a 50 per cent sell-on clause in Paz's contract and further assured Como that they will match any third-party offers in order to sign him next year with the 20-year-old preferring to continue his journey in Italy for the time being. In the post-match conference, Fabregas claimed that the player is very happy at Como and wants to be a top player.

In a post-match press conference, Fabregas shared his delight with the win as he said: "We've worked so hard with him. Since the start of the training camp, he's trained nonstop: drills, repetitions, free kicks. In the end, the hard work pays off, and today he netted us a decisive goal. Not only that, but when we had to attack one-on-one, he also provided an assist that earned us another three points. These guys are hungry, eager to learn and improve every day. It's a privilege for me to lead them."

Speaking on Sky, the Como manager said: "I know he's very happy in Como, he wants to be a top player. He always trains on free kicks and he scored."

With Paz's future secured at Como, Fabregas will hope to retain the team's form and lead them to top finish in the league. The Italian club will face Bologna in their upcoming fixture on August 30.