Fabregas praises ‘most complete’ Assane Diao performance in Como win

Cesc Fabregas described Assane Diao’s performance as his most complete since joining Como after the Senegal international scored twice in their 4-1 Serie A victory at Genoa.

Diao played a decisive role in Como’s emphatic win on Friday, scoring twice as Fabregas’s side secured all three points away from home.

The 20-year-old has made an impressive start to the season and has already matched and surpassed the impact he had throughout the previous campaign.

Diao scored only two goals and provided one assist in 20 appearances last season. This term, however, he has already moved beyond that total after just three matches.

The forward, who turns 21 on Monday, 7 September, was at the centre of Como’s attacking display against Genoa and received strong praise from his manager after the final whistle.

“Diao delivered his most complete performance since arriving in Como ,” Fabregas believes.

The Como coach also highlighted the Senegalese player’s contribution away from the attacking side of his game, pointing to his defensive work over the past two matches.

“He’s 20 years old; you can’t expect players of that age to always perform at their best. Sometimes they’ll be good, other times not.

They need to be developed. For the last two matches, he’s been doing an incredible job defensively. If he continues to improve, he’ll become a top-level player. Raising the level of these players is the key, not only for the players themselves, but also for the staff and management.”

Fabregas’s comments underline his belief that Diao’s development is about more than simply his goals and attacking numbers.

The Senegal international’s contribution against Genoa was particularly significant as Como produced a convincing performance on the road. His two goals helped the visitors turn their dominance into a comfortable victory.

Diao’s rapid improvement has also been reflected in his statistics. Having needed 20 appearances to score twice last season, he has already gone beyond that tally within his first three games of the new campaign.

Fabregas, however, stressed the importance of continued development rather than expecting a young player to maintain the same level in every match.

For the Como coach, Diao’s defensive progress has been just as encouraging as his goalscoring form. The manager believes that continued improvement could help the forward reach the highest level.

Diao now heads towards his 21st birthday having made a strong early impression in Serie A, while Fabregas’s praise reflects the progress the Senegalese forward has made since arriving at Como.

The 4-1 victory over Genoa provided another opportunity for Diao to demonstrate his attacking qualities, but his work without the ball has also emerged as an important part of his development under Fabregas.