Fabregas Instructs Como to Ease Up on Manchester United in Champions League

Cesc Fabregas revealed that he instructed his Como players to ease their intensity against Manchester United during their Champions League match in Italy on Wednesday night. The Serie A side secured a historic victory over the English club, but Fabregas stated he intervened when his team was four goals ahead.

Como were leading 4-0 when Fabregas instructed his players to reduce the tempo of the game, citing an upcoming Serie A fixture against Sassuolo as the reason for conserving energy. Manchester United managed to score a late consolation goal through substitute Joshua Zirkzee, a development Fabregas admitted he regretted.

"I regret the last 10 minutes because I was the one who told the team to slow down the tempo because there's another match and at 4-0 we could manage things a little," Fabregas said. "I told the players to stop running and stay in the middle and that is something I regret because I'm the first to always push them to fight until the end. Their goal hurt me because we dropped our intensity and dropped our defensive block, but it was my fault."

Fabregas expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, highlighting their quality, relentless pressing, and the development of a distinct club culture and playing identity. He also acknowledged the significance of the win for Como, a club that was in the fourth tier of Italian football just seven years ago.

"I can't lie to you that it (beating United) wasn't pride," Fabregas added. "We know the history of our club, how much they have suffered over the last many years. Obviously, I hope that tomorrow all the boys and girls go to school wearing the Como shirt and feel proud."

Nico Paz was a standout performer for Como, scoring two goals and providing an assist. This victory marks one of the most significant results in the club's history.