According to a report by Daily Post on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Como head coach Cesc Fabregas has explained why he instructed his players to lower the tempo after scoring four goals against Manchester United in their UEFA Champions League encounter.

The Italian side delivered an impressive performance to secure a 4-1 victory over the Premier League club. Nico Paz was instrumental in Como's success, finding the back of the net twice and setting up another goal for Anastasios Douvikas.

Como continued to put Manchester United under pressure throughout the contest, with Jacobo Ramon adding the fourth goal in the 76th minute. At that point, the home side had established a commanding advantage, leaving the visitors struggling to find a way back into the match.

With the result seemingly beyond Manchester United, Fabregas decided that his players should conserve their energy instead of continuing to push forward aggressively. The Como manager believed there was little need to maintain the same level of intensity, particularly with another game coming up.

However, his decision to reduce the tempo did not produce the perfect ending he might have wanted. Manchester United eventually found a goal through Joshua Zirkzee, who scored late in the encounter to make the scoreline 4-1.

Speaking after the match, Fabregas admitted that he was disappointed with the way his team finished the game. He explained that the instruction to slow down had come directly from him because he wanted his players to manage their energy levels with another fixture on the horizon.

The Spanish coach acknowledged that Como could have handled the final ten minutes better, especially after allowing Manchester United to score when they had previously looked comfortable defensively.

Nevertheless, the late goal did little to diminish Como's achievement. Their performance demonstrated their ability to compete against a prominent English club, while their attacking movement and clinical finishing proved difficult for Manchester United to contain.

Nico Paz emerged as one of the most influential players on the pitch. His two goals and assist for Douvikas underlined his importance to Fabregas's attacking system and helped Como establish control over the encounter.

For Manchester United, the result represents a significant setback and will increase scrutiny of their defensive performance. Conceding four goals before scoring a late consolation highlighted the difficulties they experienced in dealing with Como's attacking threat.

Fabregas's comments also showed the importance of managing players during a congested fixture schedule. Although he wanted his team to protect their energy after building a substantial lead, the closing stages demonstrated that concentration remains essential until the final whistle.

Ultimately, Como secured an emphatic 4-1 victory, while Fabregas will hope his players learn from the late concession and maintain their defensive discipline in their next match.