Top News

Cesc Fabregas has officially been named Serie A Coach of the Year for the 2025-26 season after a landmark campaign with Como. The former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder was presented with the prestigious honour at the Gran Gala del Calcio AIC after leading the ambitious club into the Champions League.

Historic honour for the former midfield star

Fabregas has firmly established himself as one of Europe’s most exciting young coaches after being crowned Serie A Coach of the Year for the 2025-26 campaign. The Spaniard collected the top individual award at the Gran Gala del Calcio AIC, the ceremony that recognises the finest achievements in Italian football.

The award is official recognition of the outstanding tactical work Fabregas has carried out at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. After ending his playing career with Como in Serie B in the summer of 2023, he played a key role as interim manager in guiding the club to promotion before being formally appointed head coach in the summer of 2024. Since taking charge on a full-time basis, he has turned Como from a team usually associated with lower-league ambitions into a genuine force in the Italian top flight.

A season of belief and Champions League ambition

The main reason behind the accolade was Como’s outstanding campaign last season, when they finished a historic fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. After a strong first top-flight season under Fabregas, in which they ended 10th in 2024-25, the Lombardy side exceeded every expectation to challenge the established giants. Fabregas engineered a run that upset the traditional hierarchy of Italian football, showing that ambitious projects can deliver instant success under the right guidance.

Como have taken that momentum into the new Serie A season as well, making an impressive start to the campaign. Fabregas’ team battled to a 1-1 away draw against Udinese in their opening match before following it up with a notable 2-1 win over Napoli, once again highlighting their growing stature among Italy’s elite clubs.

Built on youth and tactical imagination

One of the defining features of Fabregas’ time in charge has been his clear commitment to nurturing young players. The Spaniard notably built his tactical system around the creative strengths of Nico Paz, who thrived under his management. The young playmaker enjoyed an excellent season last term, making 40 appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 goals and registering eight assists.

However, the biggest reward for Fabregas and Como is their historic place in the Champions League, where they will take part in an exciting eight-match league phase. The Italian club will welcome Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Leipzig and AEK Athens to the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, while also preparing for difficult away fixtures against Barcelona, Real Betis, Feyenoord and Lens.

Unstoppable ambition

Still, Fabregas’ ambitions for Como go well beyond merely competing with the top sides. The coach is intent on driving the club to even greater heights this season, a message made clear by his activity in the transfer window, led by the arrival of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Stamford Bridge along with his former Chelsea team-mate Trevoh Chalobah. Attention now turns to Friday’s trip to Genoa, where Fabregas will be aiming for another win as Como look to continue climbing the Serie A table.