Serie A news: Como’s rise from Serie D to the brink of European football under Cesc Fabregas

Como 1907’s rise to prominence in Serie A has been one of football’s greatest stories, with the current season really showcasing how powerful they have become, beating giants of Italian football like AS Roma and Juventus.

However, this story didn’t just happen overnight – a reformed club started rebuilding in 2019, and a focus on the club ecosystem as a whole has shaped them into a fearless football unit that is happy to throw its weight about at the top of the table.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer and Serie A enthusiast Luca Salmasi takes a closer look at Como’s journey from Serie D to being a force to be reckoned with in Serie A as they push for European football.

Saving the club

Como was initially founded in 1907 and has mainly competed in the second or third tiers of Italian football during its history.

Como had the first of two bankruptcies in 2004 after relegation from Serie A and the second in 2016, and as a result of this, the club was put up for auction.

Initially, Akosua Puni Essien, the wife of former Ghanaian international Michael Essien, purchased the club for €237,000, but she was forced to sell it due to renewed liquidity problems.

Eventually, the Hartono brothers stepped in through their entertainment agency Sent Entertainment Limited and, thanks to their fortune of over $40 billion, they resolved Como’s financial problems and cleared all debts associated with the club.

A remarkable return

Despite the takeover, as part of the bankruptcy process, Como had to start life again down in Serie D.

Shortly after this, the rebuilding process began and Como earned promotion back to Serie C at the end of the 2018-19 season, winning Serie D to start something special.

Following a brief period of stabilisation, Como achieved yet another promotion, this time up to Serie B after winning the Serie C title in 2020-21.

Their third promotion – and first under Cesc Fabregas – wouldn't be as easy as they left it to the last day of the 2023-24 season.

A slip-up from fellow promotion hopefuls Venezia meant that Como found themselves automatically promoted back to Serie A after 21 years.

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Cesc Fabregas effect

Fabregas initially joined Como in 2022 as a player on a free transfer, later retiring from professional football in 2023 to become part of the coaching staff.

His subsequent impact as head coach has been immense, with the combination of his presence and his work both on and off the pitch helping to raise the profile of the club and navigate the large step up from Serie B.

The Spaniard has transformed Como into one of Serie A’s most modern and dynamic teams, which has led to a number of upsets this season against the likes of Juventus, Roma, and AC Milan.

Their current position in the top six isn’t a fluke and is purely based on the merit of an innovative and possession-based brand of football seen as a hybrid of Pep Guardiola’s positional play and Fabregas’ own distinct tweaks.

Additionally, the focus that Como puts on international talent over domestic Italian players has made them an outlier in Serie A as they have the lowest number of minutes played by homegrown talent.

Fabregas being more familiar with the Spanish market and struggling to find Italian talent that fits his required level and budget has contributed to the team performing well and gelling as a unit.

Incredible cup run

Whilst battling for a European place, Como have also been fighting on another front this season as they find themselves in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.

Their journey started at home to Serie B side Sudtirol, whom they dispatched 3-1, and that was followed by a 3-0 win over Sassuolo in the following round.

Como would then travel to Serie A regulars Fiorentina, taking advantage of their hosts’ poor season with another 3-1 win.

Como’s biggest test so far this term is their semi-final tie against Inter Milan – and they managed to hold the giants to a 0-0 draw in the first leg.

Between the two legs, the pair faced each other in a thrilling league match that finished 4-3 to Inter.

Despite the loss, the performance was a statement from Como that they aren’t just there to make up the numbers and that next week's return leg at San Siro won’t be so simple for the home side.

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Balancing the finances

If Como were to qualify for European football either through the league or the Coppa Italia, it would mark the next major milestone for the club's Indonesian ownership.

Achieving it so quickly after their return to the top flight would seal the hard work that has been put in by Cesc Fabregas, but it would also mean the beginning of a new chapter heavily involving financial fair play.

The key question now is: How long can Como sustain this level of spending?

Currently, the club’s sporting growth is supported by an unbalanced financial structure, with 2025 reports revealing a sixth consecutive annual loss since the Hartonos took over.

Over €160 million in costs against approximately €55 million in revenue is a ratio that, in the long term, will simply not hold up.

And should Como be successful in obtaining European football, UEFA’s Football Earnings Rule and Squad Cost Rule will impose strict limits on aggregated losses over three years.

For now, they are well outside of UEFA’s parameters, so the long-term challenge remains generating more sustainable revenue streams.

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