Cesc Fabregas Commends Arsenal's Patience with Mikel Arteta as Como Seeks to Mirror Gunners' Culture

Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has expressed admiration for the club's leadership, praising their patience and belief in manager Mikel Arteta during challenging times. Fabregas, now managing Como, returned to the Emirates Stadium for a pre-season friendly against Arsenal, where the match ended 1-1 before Arsenal triumphed on penalties.

Backing Through Tough Periods

Fabregas highlighted how Arsenal’s board maintained faith in Arteta despite early setbacks, which eventually led to the team winning the Premier League title last season. The Spaniard sees Arsenal’s dedication to a long-term vision as unusual in modern football and aims to bring a similar approach to his Italian club.

Admiring Arsenal’s Long-Term Plan

Having made 303 appearances for Arsenal, Fabregas praised the club's commitment to their strategy:

"Congratulations to the club in general starting from seven, eight years ago when they first started with this project. Because what you see in football every day, what Arsenal did, especially in the difficult moments, it doesn’t exist. I told Edu, I told Andrea [Berta] when I came last year to a Champions League game, I said congratulations to the whole club for the patience, for sticking together, for sticking to the plan when for three years in a row, correct me if I’m wrong, finished eighth, eighth, eighth, fourth year nearly Champions League, it was a big disappointment, Tottenham came, you finish fifth, but you keep going because you have a plan, because you have an objective, because you have progression, you keep going forward."

Seeking to Replicate Arsenal’s Stability

Fabregas reflected on the common practice of quick managerial changes disrupting club stability. He feels fortunate to be building a project at Como based on the values and culture that Arsenal has developed under Arteta.

"We lack this in football today. You lose three games, change the coach, he was playing one style, now you play another, at the end of the day I don’t believe in this a lot. I’m very lucky I’m in a project, of course with much lower level, the history, everything, but we’re trying to look at the stability Arsenal had, the values, the culture that they are bringing. I think Mikel has done a tremendous job. So I can only wish them the best, really. Because most of the group, these guys now you talk to them, I don’t know… they’re good guys, they want to play good football, they are respectful, you can see how they stick to the plan all the time. Really, I’m super happy to come back here and smell this feeling."

Upcoming Fixtures

• Arsenal will face Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, 16 August, in Cardiff.
• The Premier League season kicks off six days later with Arsenal playing newly promoted Coventry City.
• Como plans a double-header of friendlies against Liverpool on the same day as the Community Shield, with the first match behind closed doors and the second open to fans.
• Following these friendlies, Como prepares for their Serie A opener against Udinese the next Saturday.