Cesc Fàbregas, at 39, has just been named Serie A Coach of the Year for the 2025/26 season. The award was given out at the Gran Galà del Calcio AIC ceremony at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala. This former World Cup winner and Premier League star really turned things around for Como. He led them to a historic fourth-place finish in Serie A, which means they’ll be playing in the Champions League for the first time ever.
Fàbregas said he brought his vision to the club, and he feels incredibly honored that the players and other coaches in Italy have recognized his work. He also mentioned that this award is for the entire city of Como.
Winning this award puts Fàbregas in a special group. He’s only the third non-Italian manager to ever win Serie A Coach of the Year, following in the footsteps of Sven-Göran Eriksson and José Mourinho.
After guiding Como to a decent 10th place in their first season back in the top flight in 2024/25, Fàbregas really pushed the team. They ended up with 71 points and secured fourth place. A key player in Fàbregas’s attacking 4-2-3-1 formation was Nico Paz. The Argentine playmaker scored 13 goals and assisted 8 in his 40 games under Fàbregas. Paz also took home the Serie A Young Player of the Year award.
Como’s style, which focused on keeping possession, quick forward passes, and pressing, really shook up the usual Serie A hierarchy. They scored more goals than many of the established big clubs throughout the season.
It’s quite a story for Como. They’re now heading into the Champions League league phase, an eight-match run. Fàbregas’s team will host big names like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United at their home stadium, the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. Plus, they’ve got some big away games coming up, including a trip to Fàbregas’s old club, Barcelona.
