Como head coach Cesc Fabregas has revealed that the club could be forced to compete in the UEFA Champions League with a squad of just 16 or 17 players due to UEFA’s homegrown player regulations.
The Italian side have enjoyed a remarkable rise, climbing from Serie B just two years ago to securing a fourth-place finish in Serie A last season, earning a historic place in Europe’s biggest club competition. However, that rapid success has exposed a major issue with UEFA’s squad registration requirements.
nder UEFA rules, clubs must include a minimum number of homegrown and club-trained players in their Champions League squad. Como currently do not have enough academy graduates to meet those criteria, meaning they may be unable to fill the full squad list.
Speaking at a press conference, Fabregas admitted the club faces a difficult situation.
“We have restrictions in the UEFA list, and since we do not yet have a youth academy capable of providing us with certain requirements, we will find ourselves in the Champions League with a squad made up of only 16 to 17 players. That is the reason that drives us to build our own players ourselves, a process that requires time and cannot be accomplished within two or three years.”
Despite the registration challenge, Fabregas remains pleased with Como’s summer recruitment. The club has strengthened its squad with the arrivals of Mattia Liberali, Luis Milla, and Kaike as they prepare for their first-ever Champions League campaign.
The situation highlights the growing pains of Como’s rapid ascent. Last season, the club reportedly had only one Italian player in the squad, who featured for just a single minute throughout the campaign. Fabregas believes the long-term solution lies in developing a stronger youth academy, but admits that building a sustainable pipeline of homegrown talent will take several years.
As Como prepare for an unforgettable European adventure, the club must now balance ambitious sporting goals with the realities of UEFA’s squad registration rules.
