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Como 1907 - The Italian Club On The Rise
Blogs

Como 1907 - The Italian Club On The Rise

Como 1907 - The Italian Club On The Rise

Como 1907 ended their 35 yearlong streak of absence from the topflight of Italian football at the conclusion of last season. They ensured themselves automatic promotion from Serie B and are now having the best season out of the three teams that went up. From the management of Cesc Fàbregas, part ownership from Thierry Henry and the abundance of talent they have on their books, the future looks bright for Como.

Rise To The Big Leagues

The 2020/21 season was the first big step in Como’s journey back into the Serie A. They blew the rest of the Serie C out of the water, claiming the title after 38 games with a seven point gap to second place. Massimiliano Gatto was the man to find the back of the net the most for them that year. His 14 goals were a massive help in ensuring promotion to Serie B. Upon their first two stints, consecutive 13th places, finishing with an identical 47 points both years.

It was then when former Arsenal and FC Barcelona icons Cesc Fàbregas and Thierry Henry became minority stakeholders in the club. Halfway through the season in November, a decision was made to part ways with manager Moreno Longo and Fàbregas, who was still a player at the time, was appointed as his temporary replacement. It couldn’t have been the player/manager fairytale for Fàbregas as he hadn’t received his UEFA Pro License, rendering him unable to lead his team going forward. Welshman Osian Roberts took charge, demoting him to assistant coach. It didn’t really matter as after three years in the Serie B they earned themselves promotion in Serie A through automatic promotion from finishing second, narrowly missing the title by a mere three points.

Young Talent For The Future

In the current Como squad they have 17 players aged 25 and under, looking set for the next couples of years. Amongst them are talents on loan from the best teams in Europe, the likes of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Manchester City. Nico Paz has been having a great season in Italy, sharing the top spot at the club for the most goal involvements this season with nine. That tally is split into six goals and three assists, currently playing in a slightly higher position due to injuries in the striking department.

It hasn’t just been good loan signings for Como as the acquisitions of Maxence Caqueret, Johnathon Ikoné, Assane Dio, Dele Alli and plenty more have all helped to strengthen the squad from the smart signings they made in the summer. With their limited budget in comparison to the other teams in the Serie A, the Como recruitment team have done a fantastic job in ensuring that they have a collective that can gel and remain together for the foreseeable future.

Heading Into The Second Half Of The Season?

As it stands, Como reside in 13th place in the Serie A standings after 25 games. They have won six games, lost 12 and drawn seven which has left them with 25 points. The efforts of the whole team have seen them find the back of the net 30 times whilst conceding 40 goals at the other end of the pitch. Entering the top half of the table would be a massive achievement for the club but the gap of eight points to 10th might prove to be a task too difficult.

However, they have put in some great performances across the campaign, beating some of the hardest opponents in the Serie A. Como have been victorious over Atalanta, Hellas Verona, Roma, Lecce, Udinese and most recently Fiorentina.

What’s To Come?

Como have been playing quality pressing and attacking football under Fàbregas as the stats have shown. I Lariani are ranked the first in the Serie A for possession won in the final third of the pitch, averaging 4.5 wins, third for most successful tackles per 90 minutes with 11.2 tackles, eighth for most touches in the opposition’s box with 535 touches, and eighth for the most average possession with 53.9%.

These figures indicate that Como could have a strong second half to the Serie A this season and with Cesc Fàbregas at the wheel until at least 2026, Como are in good hands. With a full season in the topflight of Italian football under their belts and smart transfer policies by bringing in those with running down contracts and loaning in potential wonderkids, Como could realistically see themselves pushing for those illustrious European places, one day potentially reaching the UEFA Champions League, a feat the club has not yet achieved.

Having the tutelage from the technically gifted Fàbregas has been a great insight for the young and aspiring players. The attitude that he brings in the locker room is a great factor in rapid maturity for the mindsets of the younger lads. Speaking to DAZN, FC Barcelona loanee Álex Valle said, “We always aim for victory, regardless of the opponent. Between Serie A and the Champions League, the level is similar… Fàbregas asks us to push as high as possible”.

Another key step in their ambitions to be one of the top contending clubs is the redevelopment of the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. Bringing in more fans and subsequently more revenue will help in the long run to maybe one day acquiring the services some of the best up and coming talents around the world.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
Luca Testa

Lead Writer

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