Como: Preview to Their 2024-25 Serie A Season
Como 1907 is a club that has seen all the highs and lows in its lifetime. Founded in 1907, the club made it to the top tier of Italian football for the first time in 1949 after finishing at the top of Serie B in the 1948-49 season. Since then, they’ve fluctuated between different tiers of Italian football. The club suffered bankruptcy due to financial issues in 2004 and was forced to restart from Serie D, Italy’s amateur league.
Fast forward to 2019, the club still hadn’t made it to Serie A. SENT Entertainment Limited acquired the club and set a new project into motion. The club’s facilities were improved, the stadium was renovated, and the focus was on developing local talent. After gaining promotion from Serie C in the 2020-21 season, Como finished 13th for two consecutive years in Serie B. Finally, in the 2023-24 season, the club gained promotion into Serie A after finishing second.
Transfers In
The goalkeeping unit consists of legendary veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who signed for the club in mid-July. Reina brings immense experience and will be a valuable asset despite being 41 years old. Emil Audero is another shot-stopper they signed from Sampdoria for around 6 million euros.
World Cup-winning defender Raphaël Varane joined the club on a free transfer. At 31 years of age, Varane still has a lot to offer for the club, and his quality will provide a solid foundation at the back. Como signed Alberto Moreno as a free agent. Moreno has played for the likes of Liverpool, Villarreal, and Sevilla and has experience playing top-flight football. The center-back pair of Alberto Dossena and Marc-Oliver Kempf have also joined the club, adding to the depth in the defensive unit.
The signing of Barcelona legend Sergi Roberto on a free transfer caught the eyes of many fans of the game. He brings leadership and stability to the team. Como signed a lot of young talent in the midfield: Máximo Perrone on loan from Manchester City, Yannik Engelhardt from Düsseldorf, Luca Mazzitelli from Frosinone, Matthias Braunöder from Austria Wien, and Benjamin Kone from Torino. They’ll have high expectations for their signings and will hope to develop talented players into high-level athletes.
In the attacking department, the club signed veteran Serie A striker Andrea Belotti from Roma for 4.5 million euros. Belotti has been one of the most consistent goalscorers in the top tier and will lead the line. Highly-rated talent Nico Paz from Real Madrid, Alieu Fadera from Genk, free agent Ali Jasim, and Gabriel Strefezza from Lecce will be the options on the wings.
While the majority of the incomings are older players who are past their prime, Como has also invested in some underrated stars. The club has made a good number of transfers to make sure that they’re ready to compete and stay in Serie A.
The Onerous Rise of Como 1907 – A Fitting Project for a Deserving Establishment
New Manager
In July of 2024, Como officially announced Cesc Fàbregas as their manager. The Spain legend, who has played for Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea, will have high expectations on his shoulders. Having played under legendary managers like Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, and Pep Guardiola, Fàbregas will come with a good amount of knowledge, and his experience as a world-class midfielder will come in handy.
Expectations
Como hasn’t had a great start to the new season. They lost 4-3 on penalties to Sampdoria and started their Serie A season with a 3-0 loss to Juventus. On Matchday 2, they managed to earn a point against Cagliari, drawing 1-1. The match had a lot of positives for the newly promoted club: 53 percent possession, 14 shots, and 442 passes sums up the way Fàbregas wants his team to play.
They’ll look to build on the draw and try to get all their new signings together, but as evidenced by Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Udinese, this is still very much a work in progress. Finishing mid-table in Serie A and avoiding relegation would be a realistic goal for them — can they get up to speed and make the adjustment to the top-flight?
By: @TSpec1al
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Jonathan Moscrop / Getty Images