Como president Mirwan Suwarso has revealed that Barcelona are the inspiration behind the club's footballing philosophy, while Brighton and Brentford provide a model for recruitment.
The Italian side have attracted attention across Europe following their remarkable 9-1 victory over Lens in the Champions League, having already beaten Manchester United 4-1 in the competition. However, the club's ambitions extend beyond impressive results, with Suwarso outlining a long-term strategy designed to establish a recognisable identity.
In an interview with TNT Sports, the Como president explained that Barcelona are the reference point for the style of football the club want to develop under Cesc Fàbregas.
“In terms of our footballing philosophy, we want to become like Barcelona. We want to focus on having the ball, pressing high, dominating possession and playing attractive football,” he said.
The connection with Barcelona is particularly relevant given Fàbregas's own background. The former Spain international developed at La Masia before returning to the club's first team, where he experienced Pep Guardiola's approach at close quarters.
His time in Catalonia helped shape his understanding of possession-based football, and that influence is now evident in the way Como approach matches.
However, Suwarso stressed that the club's identity must be bigger than any individual manager. Como want their principles to remain consistent even if there are several changes in the dugout over the coming years.
“We start from our footballing identity. What type of football do we want to play? How do we want to play? We want that identity to remain intact even after numerous coaching changes,” he explained.
The intention is to create a club-wide philosophy rather than build a team that depends entirely on the personality of its current coach.
Recruitment is another important part of the strategy, with Suwarso identifying two Premier League clubs as examples of how Como want to operate in the transfer market.
“If we are talking about recruitment, obviously Brighton and Brentford have become the models everyone looks at. At the same time, we try to find undervalued players who can fit into our system, using similar models to those employed by Brighton and Brentford.”
The approach combines a defined playing identity with an emphasis on identifying talent before it becomes widely recognised or prohibitively expensive.
Como's rise has been remarkable, progressing from the lower divisions of Italian football to competing with Europe's leading clubs in a relatively short period.
The 9-1 demolition of Lens has provided the latest evidence of their progress, but Suwarso's comments underline that the ambition is not simply to enjoy a successful period under Fàbregas.
Como want to build something that lasts. Barcelona provide the inspiration for how they want to play, while Brighton and Brentford offer a blueprint for how they intend to find the players capable of delivering it.