By Alex Roberts
Sitting in 13th at the time of writing, many had expected Como to go straight back down, and although they can’t rest on their laurels, AND there is still a chance of exactly that happening, all signs are pointing towards survival.
Much of that is down to Fábregas, who is also a minority owner, the latest trendy young Spanish manager to burst onto the scene. Those of us who’re older than 15 will remember him as a player, it wasn’t so long ago he was tearing it up for Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea.
There are a few players who appear destined to become a top coach, Fábregas was one of them. The way he controlled the game, his eye for a pass, it was easy to tell he has the kind of mind that would translate well to his new role.
Unsurprisingly, the centre of the park plays a crucial role in the Spaniard’s style of play. Como primarily play with a 4-3-3, focusing on quick, short passing while maintaining a compact midfield.
Fábregas loves a quick transition, overloading the midfield with versatile midfielders who rotate through the three positions, catching opponents who believe they may have escaped the best ball winner out.
That’s exactly what club president Mirwan Suwarso wants to see. Instead of ceding ground to the bigger sides, Como go at them toe-to-toe. Boring, defensive football was never an option, entertainment value had to come first.
Indonesian tobacco magnates and brothers Roberto Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono purchased the club over five years ago, while they were still in Serie D, with one mission, establishing Como as a brand.
Suwarso hasn’t shied away from that either, saying: “We chose to invest in Como because investing exclusively in soccer comes with unpredictable risks. Here we’re relying on a brand: We want to make this the top soccer tourism destination in the world.”
The club’s transfer activity reflects that. Como have brought in a good mixture of well-known veterans like Pepe Reina, Raphaël Varane (who was forced to retire after picking up an injury in his debut), and now Dele Alli with foreign prospects.
Nico Paz is undoubtedly the most exciting of those prospects. Joining from Real Madrid last summer, the wonderkid has starred in that number ten role, scoring six goals and providing five assists in his 27 game across all competitions so far.
Perhaps most impressively, a lot of those goal contributions have come against the bigger clubs. Paz has either a goal or an assist against Roma, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Napoli, and AC Milan. Each of those sides are battling it out at the top end of the Serie A table.
The deal to bring him to Como came with a certain stipulation, however. Real Madrid have an incredibly favourable buy-back clause in his contract, retaining the option to re-sign him for €8 million this summer, €9 million in 2026, and €10 million in 2027.
Paz’s stock is high, but Madrid’s squad is pretty well stocked, especially in the final third. Don’t be surprised to see the Spanish giants activate the clause and then sell him for triple the value shortly after.
The powers that be at Como aren’t stupid though. They know things on the pitch can change at any given time. Players get injured, form is fickle, and star players can be picked off by the big boys at any given moment.
As part of their brand building initiative, Como have seen multiple Hollywood A-listers attend their games. The area has long been a hotspot for the rich and famous, George Clooney famously owns a property on the lake.
Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Michael Fassbender, Kate Beckinsale and Benedict Cumberbatch are just a few famous faces to have been spotted at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia so far this season.
They may all be massive football fans, Knightley’s breakout role was as Juliette Paxton in Bend It Like Beckham after all, but it’s unlikely they would have made the time to go to a Como game without some sort of initiative.
Finally, there are the kits. Fellow water-based Italian side Venezia proved just how powerful a really nice shirt and a beautifully executed marketing campaign can be a few years ago. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t translate on the pitch.
While Venezia focused on the artistic history and landmarks of their fine city, Como once again turned to Hollywood. Actors Emma Roberts, Chace Crawford, and Tom Ellis were utilised to show off their home, away, and third shirts in a recent campaign.
As a result, roughly 40% of Como tickets are purchased by tourists. That should come as no surprise. Como the town is beautiful, but when it comes to things to do, don’t expect to be too busy outside of sightseeing and lounging by the lake.
Should Como survive their first season back in the Italian top flight, the club will have a fantastic footballing foundation to build upon. Yes, it may feel a little bit plastic, but it’s hard to argue with the work that has already been put into establishing the club as a destination.
Como will be busy in the coming transfer window, and they might make a few moves that surprise a lot of people. At a time when Italian football is struggling financially, perhaps it’s not such a bad thing after all.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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