Manchester United’s meeting with Como represents another landmark in the Italian club’s rapid rise, with sporting director Carlalberto Ludi preparing to welcome his former Novara team-mate Bruno Fernandes and reflecting on the influence of head coach Cesc Fabregas.
Como have travelled from Italy’s lower leagues to Serie A and Champions League qualification in a remarkably short period. Ludi, who joined the club in 2019, says the ambition is now to ensure that progress becomes lasting rather than temporary.
Fabregas at the centre of Como’s transformation
Fabregas arrived at Como in 2022 towards the end of his playing career, when the club were in Serie B. He later retired, joined the academy coaching staff and eventually took charge of the senior side.
In the years since, Como secured promotion to Serie A for the first time in 21 years before qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history last season.
Ludi believes Fabregas has changed more than the team’s performances. “Cesc made a big difference. Not only on the field, but also off the field, in my opinion – the culture of the club, everything. The professionalism, everything, to be honest,” he said.
“He brought his mentality into the club and that’s one of the reasons why we improved and grew so quickly. Thanks to him, we are fantastic, to be honest.
“We have been fantastic on the field, but thanks to him we also improved our mentality, so we were ready to compete for the Champions League.”
Fabregas, 39, has also impressed Ludi with his attitude towards management. “He’s very young, but he’s so open-minded, to be honest. He’s the first who wants to improve and learn,” he said.
“That, in my opinion, is one of his best qualities and he’s making a difference.” Ludi added that Como wanted their team to reflect the courage, intelligence and talent Fabregas had displayed during his playing career.
Bruno Fernandes reunion adds to Como occasion
The fixture will also bring Ludi face to face with Fernandes, who is now Manchester United’s captain. The pair played together at Novara when the Portuguese midfielder was 17 and beginning his professional career.
Ludi remembers Fernandes as “phenomenal”, although he said the teenager initially needed help adapting to the demands of senior football.
“At the beginning, I needed to guide him in our dressing room in order for him to understand what being a professional meant,” Ludi said.
He recalled Fernandes as “a fantastic guy, a humble person, a top footballer, but an open-minded guy, always ready to support, ready to help, ready to enjoy, ready to have fun with all of us”.
Fernandes later played for Udinese and Sampdoria before moving to Sporting Lisbon and then Manchester United. Ludi said he had always celebrated his former team-mate’s progress and hoped to meet him after the game.
“To be honest, it would be fantastic to meet him in the Champions League. It’s something I never expected, and it would be just fantastic,” he said.
Como determined to add another chapter
Como’s promotion was secured by a draw against Cosenza in May 2024, a result that provided the platform for their subsequent rise. Hosting Manchester United now offers the club another significant moment.
Ludi said the scale of the change since his arrival was difficult to comprehend. “I started to work here in 2019 and there was nothing. Now we have the Champions League, we have Man Utd at home, and it’s something that is amazing, literally amazing,” he said.
With Michael Carrick’s United side visiting, Ludi said Como wanted to compete, fight and give their supporters further reason to be proud of the club’s progress.
“We are here to write the history of Como, and this is another page, a big page of our history,” he said.
