Cesc Fábregas warned Como not to treat their trip to Verona like a routine finish to the Serie A season, saying his team must show hunger for goals and cannot walk into the match expecting an easy night. The former Spain midfielder said Hellas Verona’s approach against Juventus last weekend showed exactly the kind of problem Como have to solve.
“There is pride. Nobody wants to lose matches,” Fábregas said, adding that players can be disappointed after relegation but that nobody hands out anything for free. “They broke on the counter with a low block against Juventus and then defended for the rest of the match. We have to be ready for a similar game,” he said.
Como reached jornada 36 in sixth place and were three points behind Juventus in fourth, still in the race for European qualification despite having won only one of their last five matches. That makes the weekend trip more than a formality. Fábregas said the club must stay proactive against a team he expects to sit deep and make chances scarce, especially when the margin for error is shrinking.
Verona drew 1-1 with Juventus the previous weekend, with the Scottish forward Bowie opening the scoring. Bowie, who joined from Hibernian in January, has scored three goals for Verona and has been responsible for the last two Verona goals in their last seven Serie A matches. On the other side, Como’s Paz has scored four goals in seven away Serie A matches in 2026, one more away goal than he managed in his first 27 away league matches combined.
The numbers point to a game shaped by detail rather than space. Among players with 10 or more goals in the five major European leagues this season, nobody has scored more from outside the area than Como’s own five-goal scorer, a sign that Verona may be forced to close down shooting lanes as well as passing ones. Fábregas said that is part of why his side cannot start slowly or assume the ball will simply find its way into the net.
Riccardo Cassano, a 16-year-old midfielder, could be included in Como’s squad for the weekend trip after training with the first team last week. “I’m very happy. When we use all these players, it seems we generate value. If possible, Cassano will come with us,” Fábregas said. “He trained with us last week and I liked him a lot. He left me with very good feelings. If I can take him, I will. Many young players train with us during the week, but when we see one who stands out, we are open.”
The backdrop favors Como, even if their recent form does not. Verona had not won any of their last eight Serie A matches against Como, and their last league win in the fixture came in December 1986. Como were unbeaten in their last three Serie A away matches against Verona after taking only one point from their first four away matches in the matchup. That history gives Como a reason to believe, but Fábregas made clear that belief will count for little unless it is matched by urgency at kickoff.
