Fabregas: ‘Roma will see what Como tactics are, Nico Paz is a striker’

Cesc Fabregas keeps Roma guessing on his Como tactics and explains why Nico Paz is not really a ‘False 9’ in this battle for Champions League spots.

It kicks off at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The importance of this fixture cannot be underestimated, as both teams are locked together on 51 points, temporarily leapfrogged by Juventus on 53 thanks to last night’s victory away to Udinese.

Champions League qualification is at stake, a remarkable achievement for a Como side who were in Serie B two years ago.

Fabregas keeps Como tactics vague

Maximo Perrone is not 100 per cent fit after a knock, with Jayden Addai out for the rest of the season following a laceration of the Achilles tendon.

“Perrone is in the squad, he says he’s fine, he trained a little with the team yesterday, he is ready to come on if we need him, but it’s important to start those who are at 100 per cent,” Fabregas told Sky Sport Italia.

Surprisingly, Como are using a three-man defence from the start today, with Nico Paz seemingly as the False 9, but again the coach doesn’t want to be tied down to definitions.

“You think it’s a three-man defence? You’ll see… I think Nico Paz is a striker, he just has different characteristics. Osimhen attacks the space, Messi drops back more, Hojlund protests the ball, so every striker is different and has their own characteristics. We’ll see if it goes the way we want it to.”

Along with fighting for the top four in Serie A, Como are also in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, having held Inter to a 0-0 draw in the first leg.

Since making his debut in the top flight a year and a half ago, Fabregas has put together 100 points. Did he expect this?

“I didn’t expect this, but the life of a coach is to be taken one day at a time, so we cannot think about what happens a year from now. We have our vision of where we can get to in four or five years, but we must try to grow on a par with the club, staff, players, directors, with patience, humility and hard work,” concluded Fabregas.