The Como coach, Cesc Fabregastwo days before the match against Torino, spoke at the press conference. These are his words, starting with the Como team’s next opponent: “They are a historic, solid and very strong team. They have a very strong midfield and a coach, Vanoli, who I know and is very good. I think they will play with the 3-5-2 formation, Zapata will be missing and they are changing the way they play. In their staff they have many international players like Maripan, who played with me at Monaco. If we want to win we will have to face them in the right way.”
Do you think you’ll change anything, considering that there will be four close matches, to give more breathing space to those who have played the most so far?
“Let’s see, I have a few small ideas in my head but without straying too far from the lineup that played these last few games, as we have found a certain stability. I have faith in the whole group, even in the second lines who have played little so far, I know them all also from having had them with me last season, and they are training very well. They know that everyone will be needed starting from these next three or four matches that we will face, they know my message: it is important to be ready and prepared because in football when the opportunity to play comes you have to seize it also to prove me wrong. In the end it’s always the pitch that speaks and it’s up to them to prove they deserve the place.”
How are Mazzitelli and Da Cunha?
“Mazzitelli has been working with us for two months now and we have gotten to know him well, he is an intelligent player who can give us a lot in the attacking midfield and who knows how to fit in very well. Da Cunha is also training very well, he also did a lot last year in Serie B, now he is getting used to Serie A and I think his opportunity will come soon.”
Who will be absent against Torino?
“Van der Brempt will be missing, he won’t be available for two or three weeks as he suffered a small injury to his quadriceps. Sergi Roberto has been training and seems to be well and so is Dossena. Cerri had a back problem but is better today.”
Is there a player in Como that you recognize yourself with?
“I think of Sergi Roberto, he is a player who is always in the right place at the right time and will soon be able to score goals.”
Como have conceded 14 goals to date, does this worry you and are you thinking of changing something to cover them more?
“No, I don’t think I’ll change, we have to work to improve ourselves. I believe in work and not in changing, we must not be afraid, I believe a lot in what we are doing and in our offensive mentality and identity. Parma scored against us on the counterattack, we work during the week to prevent this from happening. Of course we are a team with an offensive mentality and this exposes us to suffering counterattacks, if I didn’t want to suffer them then I would put eleven players inside the area but this is not our mentality. We must not be afraid and continue to believe in what we are doing.”