Legendary former Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, has admitted he did not anticipate Cesc Fàbregas achieving such swift success in his coaching career.
Fàbregas retired from professional football in July 2023, concluding a decorated playing career in which he won the Premier League, FA Cup, and La Liga titles, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Spain. Soon after hanging up his boots, he took charge of Como’s U-19 team, having already secured his coaching qualifications.
Following the dismissal of Moreno Longo in November 2023, Fàbregas was promoted to the first team as interim head coach. His immediate impact was evident, and after a brief stint as assistant to Osian Roberts, he was officially appointed head coach last August. Under his leadership, Como earned promotion to Serie A for the first time in over 20 years.
Despite widespread predictions that the club would struggle in the Italian top flight, Fàbregas guided Como to a remarkable 10th-place finish, just two spots below giants AC Milan.
Speaking to Marca, Wenger said, “The truth is, I didn’t expect such rapid success, but I do believe Fàbregas will be a great coach in the future. Sometimes, when you go so quickly from playing to coaching, it’s difficult to adapt, and he’s done it very quickly.”
Wenger also revealed that Fàbregas had invited him to visit Como. “He’s invited me to come to Como to see him. At some point I’ll honour that invitation,” he added.
