According to a report by Daily Post on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Como manager Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he instructed his players to ease their attacking approach after taking a commanding 4-0 lead against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League.

Como delivered an impressive performance to secure a convincing 4-1 victory over the Premier League club, with Nico Paz emerging as one of the key figures. The attacking midfielder scored twice and supplied an assist for Anastasios Douvikas as the Italian side dominated the encounter.

Jacobo Ramon increased Como’s advantage by scoring their fourth goal in the 76th minute, leaving Manchester United struggling to recover. With his side comfortably ahead, Fabregas opted to reduce the intensity of their attacking play and encouraged his players to manage the remaining minutes rather than continue at the same pace.

However, the Spanish manager later expressed dissatisfaction with how Como approached the closing stages. Manchester United eventually scored through Joshua Zirkzee, whose late effort reduced the deficit to 4-1.

Speaking after the match, Fabregas acknowledged that he was responsible for telling his players to ease off despite their four-goal advantage. He explained that his decision was influenced by the need to conserve energy ahead of their next fixture.

According to the former Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder, Como had built a sufficiently comfortable lead to control the match without maintaining their earlier attacking intensity. He believed that managing the players’ physical condition was important, given the demands of a busy fixture schedule.

Fabregas admitted that he was disappointed with the final ten minutes, explaining that he had asked his players to slow the tempo because of their commanding position and the upcoming game.

His remarks provided an insight into his approach to squad management during a demanding period of the season. With the outcome seemingly beyond doubt at 4-0, the Como manager preferred his players to conserve their energy, retain possession and protect their advantage instead of continuing to press forward aggressively.

Nevertheless, Manchester United’s late goal highlighted the importance of maintaining concentration until the final whistle. Although Zirkzee’s strike did not change the outcome, it denied Como the opportunity to finish the match with a clean sheet after an otherwise dominant display.

Nico Paz was among the outstanding performers, with his two goals and assist underlining his importance to Como’s attacking setup. His contribution helped the Italian side overcome a Manchester United team with considerably more experience in European competitions.

For Manchester United, the defeat raises fresh concerns about their defensive organisation and their ability to cope with opponents who combine attacking pace with confidence. The Red Devils will need to improve their performances in upcoming matches after suffering such a damaging European setback.

Despite conceding a late goal, Fabregas has plenty of reasons to be encouraged by his team's overall display. Como demonstrated their attacking strength and ability to compete against a major European club, while the manager’s post-match comments highlighted the challenge of balancing energy conservation with maintaining discipline and concentration throughout the entire match.