Cesc Fabregas Calls for Caution After Como's 4-1 Triumph Over Manchester United in Champions League

Cesc Fabregas, head coach of Como, advised his team to stay grounded after they defeated Manchester United 4-1 in a thrilling Champions League match on Wednesday evening. The Spanish manager witnessed his bold Serie A side dominate at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, putting pressure on visiting manager Michael Carrick.

Historic Win Praised by Fabregas

Fabregas warned against overconfidence after Como dismantled the English giants by a wide margin. Following a 4-1 win over RB Leipzig in their opening home game, Como became the first Italian club to score four or more goals in their first two home fixtures of a UEFA debut season. They also joined AC Milan as the only Italian teams to defeat Manchester United by three or more goals in European competition.

Match Highlights: Hosts Outplay Visitors

IMAGO reports that after Diogo Dalot missed an early chance inside the first 90 seconds, Nico Paz quickly put Como ahead just 118 seconds in with a curling left-footed shot past goalkeeper Senne Lammens. At 22 years and 43 days old, Paz became the second-youngest South American to score against United in the Champions League, second only to Lionel Messi’s goal in the 2009 final.

Carrick responded at halftime by replacing £110 million signings Matheus Cunha and Andrey Santos with Carlos Baleba and Amad Diallo. Despite these changes, Paz assisted Tasos Douvikas to extend the lead when defender Matthijs de Ligt faltered in his first start after nearly a year. Paz then intercepted a pass from Baleba to score his second goal in the 57th minute.

I’m very happy. I think it’s a historic night for the club, and we’re very happy. It was a good performance. The boys competed really well and played well, so we need to keep going and keep pushing, said Fabregas after the match.

The coach also shared how he motivated his injury-hit squad before kickoff: This morning, we spoke about certain things, about certain principles and about who we are. We need to play with bravery and without fear, and I think that’s the most important thing. The boys showed great quality and great character. We always talk about character and everything, but today the boys also played with a lot of quality.

Como’s Humble Approach Amid Growing Attention

Goalkeeper Jean Butez denied Diallo’s attempt before substitute Kaiki Bruno set up an unmarked Jacobo Ramon to head home the fourth goal in the 76th minute. Lammens prevented Paz from completing a hat-trick. In stoppage time, Joshua Zirkzee scored a consolation for United by converting Diallo’s cross.

Addressing rumors that Europe’s elite clubs might now fear Como, Fabregas stated, I wouldn’t say that other European teams are afraid of Como. Believe me, we have a lot of respect for all the clubs. We are new to this competition, so, as I said, we need to keep our feet on the ground, keep working, keep pedalling, and then see where the future takes us.

Pressure Mounts on Manchester United

Manchester United faced a tough challenge missing nine injured players during the trip to Italy. Their winless run extended to seven games, following Sunday’s promising draw against rivals Leeds United that quickly faded. At full-time, Carrick repeatedly apologized to the remaining traveling supporters, a gesture reminiscent of former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s response after a heavy defeat in November 2021, which led to his dismissal a day later.

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