Cesc Fabregas, the head coach of Como, has indicated a potential call-up for 16-year-old Italian midfielder Riccardo Cassano for the upcoming away match against Hellas Verona on Sunday. Fabregas stated, “I can’t say he’s ready, but he understands the type of football we want to play here.”
Cassano, currently playing for Como’s U17 team, might be part of the senior squad traveling to Verona for a Serie A fixture.
Fabregas: Cassano ‘Understands the Type of Football’ Como Play
Como has demonstrated impressive form in Serie A this season and continues to compete for a Champions League spot. Despite their success, the team has faced criticism for the limited playing time of Italian players in league matches this term.
However, Como possesses promising Italian talent within its youth academy, and one such player could join the first team this weekend.
“I’m really happy. When we use all these players, it seems we create value. I mostly watch U17 and Primavera teams. If possible, Cassano of U17 will come with us,” Fabregas shared at a press conference on Friday, as reported by TMW.
Fabregas further elaborated, “He already trained with us last week, and I really liked it. He gave me great satisfaction. He is a playmaker. Yesterday, he played with us while [Maxi] Perrone broke his nose. The U17 have qualified for the play-off, but if I can take him with us, I’ll do it. I can’t say he’s ready, but he understands the type of football we want to play here. So many young players train with us during the week, but when we see a player who stands out, we are open. He is even from Como.”
The 16-year-old Cassano operates as a central midfielder and has contributed four assists in 25 appearances across all competitions for the Como U17 team this season.
Hellas Verona, despite having already been relegated, managed a 1-1 away draw against Como’s rivals Juventus last week.
“There is dignity. Nobody wants to lose games. You might be sad and disappointed because you got relegated, but nobody gives anything away,” Fabregas commented on Verona’s approach.
“They launched counterattacks while playing with a low block against Juventus, then defended for the rest of the game. We must be prepared for a similar match. Today, the most difficult thing is to score against a low block. We must have the desire to score, be proactive, and not go onto the field thinking it will be easy.”
Fabregas also expressed his preference regarding match timing: “I don’t really like to play at 12:30. We eat three hours earlier.” He explained the team’s routine, “When we play at 15:00 [CET], we have an activation session in the morning: players do stretching and mobility work, then two-against-two, and then they eat and rest. When the match is in the evening, they rest.”
English Translation
Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he might call up 16-year-old Italian midfielder Riccardo Cassano for Como’s away game at Hellas Verona on Sunday, stating, “I can’t say he’s ready, but he understands the type of football we want to play here.”
Como U17 midfielder Cassano could be part of the senior squad traveling to Verona for a Serie A match.
Fabregas: Cassano ‘Understands the Type of Football’ Como Play
Como has been performing impressively in Serie A this season and is still vying for a Champions League spot. However, the team has also faced criticism for having used an Italian player for only one minute in league matches this term.
Nevertheless, Como boasts promising Italian players in their youth squad, and one of them might travel with the first team over the weekend.
“I’m really happy. When we use all these players, it seems we create value. I mostly watch U17 and Primavera teams. If possible, Cassano of U17 will come with us,” Fabregas said at a press conference on Friday, via TMW.
“He already trained with us last week, and I really liked it. He gave me great satisfaction. He is a playmaker. Yesterday, he played with us while [Maxi] Perrone broke his nose. The U17 have qualified for the play-off, but if I can take him with us, I’ll do it. I can’t say he’s ready, but he understands the type of football we want to play here. So many young players train with us during the week, but when we see a player who stands out, we are open. He is even from Como.”
Cassano, 16, is a central midfielder who has provided four assists in 25 games across all competitions with the Como U17 team this season.
Verona has already been relegated, but they held Como’s rivals Juventus to a 1-1 away draw last week.
“There is dignity. Nobody wants to lose games. You might be sad and disappointed because you got relegated, but nobody gives anything away,” Fabregas noted.
“They launched counterattacks while playing with a low block against Juventus, then defended for the rest of the game. We must be prepared for a similar match. Today, the most difficult thing is to score against a low block. We must have the desire to score, be proactive, and not go onto the field thinking it will be easy.”
“I don’t really like to play at 12:30. We eat three hours earlier,” Fabregas concluded.
“When we play at 15:00 [CET], we have an activation session in the morning: players do stretching and mobility work, then two-against-two, and then they eat and rest. When the match is in the evening, they rest.”