Como Face Serie A Reality As Thiago Motta’s Juventus Off To A Flyer

TURIN, ITALY - AUGUST 19: Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus is seen celebrating a goal during the Serie A game between Juventus and Como at Allianz Stadium on August 19, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Badolato - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)

The return of Como to Serie A after 21 years has created a sense of mystery. The team has been away from the top Italian league since 2003 when they were promoted from Serie B in 2001-02. Unfortunately, their time in Serie A was short-lived as they finished near the bottom of the standings under Enrico Preziosi's presidency. Como only won three games that season and suffered many losses.

After being relegated, Como quickly went bankrupt and were moved to the lowest level of Italian football. It was thought that they would never compete with the top teams in Italy again. But then, two brothers from Indonesia came into the picture.

SENT Entertainment, owned by siblings Robert and Michael Hartono, acquired Como in 2022. They had high goals and Como came in second in Serie B last year with the help of Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas was essentially the coach, even though he was still working on getting his coaching certificates.

Thanks to the support of SENT, Como is currently the wealthiest team in the division. However, instead of making big-money signings, the club has focused on making strategic moves in the summer transfer market. Sporting director Carlalberto Ludi has made some clever signings, with the most notable being former Manchester United defender Rafael Varane, who joined on a free transfer. Como is looking to strengthen their young squad by adding experienced players like Pepe Reina, Andrea Belotti, Alberto Moreno, and Emil Audero to compete in the competitive Serie A.

The club has invested approximately $38 million this summer to equip Fabregas with the resources he needs to succeed. The young coach is set to make his Serie A managerial debut with a challenging match against Juventus on the road.

Juve have had an eventful summer as well. Thiago Motta took over from Max Allegri as the coach after Allegri was fired towards the end of the season following a dramatic collapse in the Coppa Italia final against Atalanta. Motta has been joined by a number of new players in Turin, such as Douglas Luiz, Michele Di Gregorio, Khéphren Thuram, Juan Cabal, and potentially others before the transfer window closes.

Cristiano Giuntoli, the director of sports, has been working hard this summer to gather money to get the players that Motta needs for his team. Federico Chiesa is not part of Giuntoli's plans, as the Italian winger is not needed in Turin and has been asked to look for another team. However, finding a new club for Chiesa is proving to be difficult as summer comes to an end.

Chiesa was not included in the team to play against Como on the first day, but it turned out he was not missed. Motta made a unexpected decision by keeping Douglas Luiz on the sidelines. The most expensive player signed in the summer transfer window in Serie A didn't get to play until the 76th minute.

Even with Ferragosto weekend in full swing in Italy and the beaches filled with people, the Allianz Stadium was nearly full for the match against Como. It was clear from the start that it would be tough for Como to compete, especially with Fabregas facing a tough challenge as both a coach and for Como as a team.

Juve began the game strongly but their energy quickly faded for a while as Como started to play better. Motta made a surprising choice by starting 20-year-old Samuel Mbangula, who scored in the 22nd minute when Como's Yannik Engelhardt failed to clear Timothy Weah's pass. Mbangula, who wasn't even born when Como was last in Serie A, skillfully dribbled past Engelhardt, made his way to the edge of the penalty area, and cleverly placed the ball past experienced goalkeeper Pepe Reina to put Juve in the lead.

Despite Motta's initial choice, Mbangula proved his worth with a strong and mature performance. Coming from Juve's Next Gen academy, Mbangula is expected to have a significant role in the team this season, regardless of any potential new signings. The club is rumored to be pursuing Nico Gonzalez and another winger, but Mbangula has already shown he belongs in the squad.

Turin, Italy - August 19: Samuel Mbangula from Juventus cheers for his goal with Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus during the Serie match between Juventus and Como at Allianz Stadium on August 19, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)

However, it wasn't just Mbangula who stood out as a young player. Kenan Yildiz, who had a remarkable season last year for Juve, also played exceptionally well, confusing Como's players at times during the game. Yildiz has quickly gained a strong following among fans in Turin, as many supporters were seen wearing his jersey outside the stadium before the match started.

Being assigned the prestigious number 10 jersey at Juve is a big responsibility, but Yildiz seems to be living up to the expectations associated with it. With Motta now coaching the team, Yildiz is expected to thrive and benefit greatly from his leadership.

In the 4-2-3-1 formation, Thuram and Manuel Locatelli worked well together, especially Thuram who stood out in front of his father Lillian. It has been 18 years since a Thuram last played in a black-and-white shirt, but Khephren made his father proud with an impressive performance in midfield, earning a 7/10 rating from La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Juve secured a 3-0 victory with goals from Weah and Andrea Cambiaso. They had opportunities to score more goals, with Dusan Vlahovic having a disallowed header and hitting the post twice. Como felt the absence of Varane, who was injured in the Coppa Italia match against Sampdoria.

Fabregas found some good moments in the match thanks to Gabriel Strefezza's active play on the right side. Another positive is that they won't have to come back to this stadium for the rest of the season, unless the cup draw requires it.

Como received a valuable lesson about what life is like in Serie A in Turin. This experience will benefit both the team and their young manager. They can learn from this defeat and hopefully earn some points in their upcoming matches against Cagliari and Udinese. This will be crucial before they play their first home game at the Sinigaglia stadium after the international break.

Regarding Motta and Juventus, they have made a promising beginning. However, it is important to keep expectations realistic, especially considering the team they beat.