'He shouldn't go!' - Cesc Fabregas wants Como star to snub Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal star told it would be 'illogical' to play in tournament

Diao moved to Italy in January after spending a season and a half at La Liga side Real Betis and quickly established himself as a crucial member of Fabregas' squad, securing eight goals and an assist in 15 Serie A appearances last season. In April, however, he suffered a broken foot and missed out on their last five Serie A fixtures of the campaign as well as the initial stages of the 2025-26 season. Diao made a comeback in late October, where he played 45 minutes against Parma. The Senegalese winger was slowly reintegrating him back into the lineup, but was called up to the Senegal team this month. Despite having an adductor issue, he participated in two training sessions for the African side, only to get further injured and return to Italy.

The 20-year-old has a hamstring injury, which will keep him out for a few games. Although Fabregas has mentioned his probable return date, he does not want the winger to return to the Senegal camp, with his major concern being the player's fitness ahead of the competition's December 21 kick off.  

"I don't want to send him to the African Cup of Nations? For me it's illogical," he said. "He's been out for seven months, he's played three games, now he's going to the national team, he'll get injured and be out again. Then maybe he'll go back to Senegal. In the player's mind, you have to do things right. For me, it doesn't make sense. They won't care, but we want what's best for the player. He shouldn't go. He went to training camp with Senegal with a minor adductor problem and did two training sessions. Then he got injured and came back here. We'll try to get him back with Inter, but it's more likely that we'll have him back with Roma."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Como sit eighth in the Serie A table after 11 games, having lost just one match so far. They are up against a Torino side sitting four points and places below them on Monday, and a win would see them leapfrog Juventus into sixth.

"You always have to approach every match at your best. If you think it's going to be difficult mentally, then it definitely will be," Fabregas said as his side prepare to take on a side on a six-game unbeaten run. "We have to win it with our own game, with what we have to offer. But we need to be more ambitious and get more points than we currently have. We had lots of chances to make it 2-0 against Cremonese, the penalty in Naples, and three or four chances to score in Cagliari. We need to manage it better, without losing our defensive stability. Torino are a team that play 5-3-2, with experienced defenders. [Kristjan] Asllani scored and comes from Inter, he's a great player. You know [Cesare] Casadei, he comes from Chelsea. Che Adams is an international player, [Cyril] Ngonge is a difference-maker for his team, he won the league with Napoli and I really like him. They are a well-organised team, and [Marco] Baroni is a great manager. The atmosphere, the stadium and the fans are also strong. We must go there with great enthusiasm, even if after the international break we must approach the match with great caution."

Como will have three crucial fixtures after the Torino game, which might also shape their objectives for the rest of the campaign. On November 28, they'll welcome Sassuolo, and will later travel to the San Siro to face Inter on December 6. Post that, they'll meet Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma in yet another away game on December 15.