Como head coach Cesc Fabregas has taken responsibility for the goal conceded late in the match against Manchester United, after admitting he personally ordered his players to reduce the intensity when they were leading 4-0.
The Italian team recorded a historic success, defeating the English giants 4-1 on Wednesday night in the Champions League. The victory became one of the most memorable nights for Como, while the defeat deepened the problems of the “Red Devils“ and put manager Michael Carrick under serious pressure.
Despite their huge advantage, the hosts allowed Manchester United to score a consolation goal through Joshua Zirkzee in the final minutes. After the match, Fabregas explained that his decision was dictated by the desire to preserve the team's strength for the next challenges.
“I regret the last 10 minutes because I was the one who told the team to slow down. We have another game ahead and at 4-0 we could have controlled things a little“, the Spanish specialist told DAZN.
The coach revealed that he had asked his players to stop chasing the opponent with their usual intensity and to take more compact positions in the middle of the field. However, he was later left unhappy with the effect of this instruction, as Como gave up the initiative and allowed the visitors to score.
“I told the players to stop running and stay in the middle of the field - something I now regret, as I am always the first to encourage them to fight until the end. Their goal hurt me because we reduced the intensity and lowered our defensive block, but it was my fault“, added Fabregas.
Despite the late goal by the English team, the 4-1 victory remains decisive and brings immense self-confidence to Como. Fabregas's admission shows that even with such a convincing result, the Spaniard insists on discipline and a high pace until the final whistle.