Fàbregas drops a surprise: we may play the Champions League with just 17 players | Goal.com

Published on 28 Jul 2026 | Reading time: 3 minutes

Como head coach Cesc Fabregas has warned that his side may be forced to compete in the UEFA Champions League with an extremely limited squad of no more than 16 or 17 players.

The problem stems from the strict restrictions and regulations imposed by UEFA, with the team lacking the required number of players who have graduated from the club's youth academy. At the same time, the Spaniard voiced his satisfaction with the new signings his side recently completed, such as Mattia Liberali, Luis Mila and Kaike.

These challenges follow the team's rapid rise. Just two years ago Como were playing in the second division. Now the Italian club find themselves preparing for the most prestigious continental competition after finishing fourth in Serie A last season.

That ascent caught the club's management off guard, leaving them up against UEFA's rules on homegrown players and academy graduates. Last season, Como had only one Italian player in their ranks, and he played just one minute over the entire campaign.

Fabregas laid out the crisis during a press conference, saying, according to "Football Italia": "We have restrictions in the UEFA list, and since we do not yet have a youth academy capable of providing us with certain requirements, we will find ourselves in the Champions League with a squad made up of only 16 to 17 players. That is the reason that drives us to build our own players ourselves, a process that requires time and cannot be accomplished within two or three years."

To address the shortfall, Como signed Mattia Liberali, an Italy Under-21 international and former Milan youngster, arriving from Catanzaro. Fabregas commented on his arrival, saying: "Liberali called me days before the start of preparations because he wanted to be with us from day one. He showed great determination and grasped our ideas quickly. He will play tomorrow, where he can occupy the playmaker role or the false nine."

On the summer transfer market, the Spanish coach expressed his satisfaction with the new signings brought in to compensate for those who departed, saying: "We knew about the departures of Alberto Moreno and Sergi Roberto, but we managed to replace them quickly. Kaike arrived to replace Moreno, while Luis Mila is a target we had been tracking since last January because of the leadership personality he possesses and his ability to provide balance and organisation to the team. I also very much like Kaike's passion and defensive combativeness, and we are currently working with him to develop his style when in possession of the ball."

Turning to the team's young stars returning from their holidays after international duty, Fabregas singled out Nico Paz, who was with the Argentina national team at the World Cup, as well as Assane Diao and Martin Baturina. He stressed that as expectations around them rise, so does the pressure, and that the coaching staff's job is to support them through this stage. Paz will return on 17 August, the coach revealed, and he ruled out any part in the upcoming friendly against Liverpool.

Fabregas welcomed the decision to reappoint Roberto Mancini as head coach of the Italy national team, praising his technical abilities and his extensive coaching history. He said he had always admired his footballing philosophy since his time with Manchester City, describing him as "a winning coach who plays enjoyable football".

Mancini's return to the Azzurri's technical helm came three years after he resigned to coach the Saudi Arabia national team. The Italian federation's management preferred to call on his efforts once again after negotiations with prominent names such as Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Andrea Pirlo. Some considered the choice a step backwards. Fabregas disagreed, insisting it was a positive step for Italian football.

Fabregas said, according to the Italian website: "I have always admired Mancini, and I have followed him since his Manchester City days. I have spoken to him several times, and he is a coach with a winning and demanding personality who plays good football. He proved how he achieves success when he was crowned European Championship winner, and I am very happy for him."

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