Serie A’s bravest coaching choice since the late Silvio Berlusconi handed Arrigo Sacchi the San Siro hotseat makes his managerial bow when newly promoted Como confront record champions Juventus at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Monday night.
Franseco ‘Cesc’ Fabregas is football’s answer to politics’ philosopher king. An all knowing, revolutionary firebrand ready to grab the beautiful game by the scruff of the neck. Plus he’s a rare breed of an owner-manager, as they hold a small stake in the club together with fellow Gunners legend Thierry Henry.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder is already a household name in these parts. As a leading protagonist in the infamous ‘Battle of the Buffet’ – he is the teenage culprit who hurled pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson as the Invincibles lost their 49-game unbeaten run – the Spanish midfielder, is never too far away from action on and off the pitch.
On Monday night he assumes the role of David against Goliath as the little provincial club try to fell Thiago Motta’s reshaped Bianconeri who parted company with six-time Scudetto winning manager Massimiliano Allegri after an implosion during the second half of last season that almost cost them a Champions League slot.
Motta earned his coaching stripes by guiding Bologna into the Champions League and he’s shown a ruthless streak by getting rid veteran keeper Wojciech Szczesny and replaced him with Monza’s Michele de Gregorio whereas long serving left back Alex Sandro has been replaced by Juan Cabal from Hellas Verona.
Fabregas was the brainier during their playing days, famously making his Arsenal debut as a 16-year-old and successfully executing the role of a false nine as Spain pummelled France 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final.
On the other hand, Motta is the latest Italian holding midfielder after Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Daniele de Rossi to make his name as a coach. He’s spent €71.5m on ensnaring Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram from Aston Villa and Nice in the hope they’re an upgrade on Adrien Rabiot whose contract expired.
The 2024/25 season gets underway this afternoon with Simone Inzaghi’s largely unchanged champions Inter Milan away to Genoa before Giuseppe Meazza Stadium co-tenants AC Milan under new coach Paulo Fonseca host Torino. The 51-year-old Portuguese tactician who was recruited from Lille has bolstered his attack with Euro 2024 winning captain Alvaro Morata.
TODAY
Genoa v Inter Milan,
Parma v Fiorentina,
Empoli v Monza,
AC Milan v Torino
SUNDAY
Bologna v Udinese,
Hellas Verona v Napoli,
Cagliari v AS Roma,
Lazio v Venezia
MONDAY
Lecce v Atalanta
Juventus v Como
