Fabregas admits to fortune in narrow victory
The narrow triumph keeps Como in the hunt for European spots, leaving them just two points adrift of second-placed Inter and five points behind league leaders Lazio. However, the result was not without its share of drama, as a potential penalty for Venezia involving Luis Milla was overturned by the match officials.
'When I saw it, it looked like a clear penalty to me. Before coming here, I asked whether it was a penalty or not. It’s not me saying it, but I was told it wasn’t, because Luis doesn’t move his arm and is trying to keep it out of the way,' the manager told TuttoMercatoWeb. 'It looked like a penalty to me, we were lucky, but people who understand it better than me, professionals, said it wasn’t. Ours? That was clearer. If the ball reaches Tasos and he isn’t touched from behind, it’s a goal. It’s difficult, and I’m saying that honestly.'
Handling a congested fixture schedule
Como are currently navigating a demanding period of the season, with a Champions League trip to face Lens on Wednesday - where they currently sit ninth in the table with six points from three matches - before a massive domestic clash against Inter next Sunday. Fabregas admitted that the relentless pace of modern football is taking a toll on his squad, particularly given that the group is not accustomed to such a high volume of matches.
'Nothing on the pitch is easy, and today we saw there’s incredible value in this victory. We’ve played a lot of games away from home. I give a lot of value to what we did, and it isn’t trivial. It’s very difficult to win in football, I see it every week, and today was a fundamental game. Venezia had one shot on target. We didn’t concede anything, and the lads aren’t used to this kind of schedule, one game after another. We’re practically not training, but we have to continue with this mentality,' Fabregas explained during his post-match assessment.
Managing injuries and tactical solutions
The manager’s job has been made more difficult by a growing injury list, particularly in wide areas where Assane Diao and Jesus Rodriguez are both currently sidelined. Fabregas noted that the absence of natural wingers makes it harder to break down teams that deploy a low block, requiring his remaining players to find creative solutions on the pitch.
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'There are millions and millions of coaches, fans and directors, and I think we can all say that when you play against a low block, one-on-one wingers are fundamental. At the moment we don’t have them, and I never talk to the players about who’s missing. The player’s interpretation becomes fundamental. We mustn’t look for excuses, we need to find an extra solution. But I’d like to have many more solutions. Today Nico was exhausted, and Da Cunha has played every game. They always try to do what we want, and we always try to play the way we want.'
Ricci draws comparisons to Italian legends
One player who received special individual praise was Samuele Ricci. The midfielder has been a revelation for Como, and Fabregas did not hold back in his assessment of the youngster's potential. The coach compared Ricci's style of play to some of the greatest names in Italian football history.
'I’m very happy with Ricci. I saw the Samu I knew at Torino and Milan. He plays brilliantly, like Totti and like Pirlo. Great lad, great mentality. If we give him a bit more, he can become a very strong player in Italy. He has great technique and legs. On Wednesday we’ll have 16 players, and we’ll all have to be ready for the Champions League. Now we’ll rest, then prepare in very little time for an important game on our journey. We have to find energy wherever and however we can to keep this momentum going forward.'