Fabregas: ‘Como underestimated Matic quality’ and reveals what ex-Chelsea teammate said
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The story in brief
13-second readCesc Fabregas revealed that he changed Como's strategy at halftime to target former Chelsea teammate Nemanja Matic, admitting he had underestimated Matic's quality. The team was trailing 0-0 at halftime but went on to win 2-0 against Sassuolo. Fabregas made three changes during the break, specifically to counter Matic.
Rumour · This claim is unconfirmed.

The full picture
Cesc Fabregas revealed that he changed Como's strategy at halftime to target former Chelsea teammate Nemanja Matic, admitting he had underestimated Matic's quality. The team was trailing 0-0 at halftime but went on to win 2-0 against Sassuolo. Fabregas made three changes during the break, specifically to counter Matic. The win was seen as a big step forward in terms of maturity for Como.
Fabregas explained that Matic needs to be pressed constantly throughout the match, and after making the changes, Como started to play better, causing Sassuolo to lose confidence and control. He was pleased with the team's reaction after halftime. Tasos Douvikas scored two goals despite significant squad rotation.
After the match, Fabregas told Matic that they had to press him, otherwise he would be running the game, and Matic replied, "Remember you played your best football with me!" Fabregas also reflected on the challenge of maintaining energy and focus throughout the season, especially with a congested schedule.
At a glance
- Reporting status
- Rumour
- Original publisher
- Football Italia ↗
- Source published
- Clubs covered
- Chelsea, Como
Unconfirmed or speculative wording in the source. Repeated coverage does not make it confirmed.
Source context
Cesc Fabregas reveals he changed Como specifically to target former Chelsea teammate Nemanja Matic in a 2-0 win over Sassuolo. ‘I underestimated his quality. The Lariani have had difficulty this season balancing the highs of Champions League nights with keeping their focus in the following Serie A fixtures. It is therefore a big step forward in terms of maturity to see them follow up the 4-1 victory over Manchester United with this comfortable 2-0 win against Sassuolo. “We changed a few things during the break, as I think I had underestimated the quality of Matic, just as I did last season when we lost to Sassuolo,” explained Fabregas to DAZN Italia.
Source excerpt · Football Italia
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