On the shores of Lake Como, the attention should be turning fully towards Roma’s visit tomorrow. Instead, Cesc Fàbregas has found himself speaking about the international window and an absence that will deprive Como of Moise Kean for roughly ten days.
Roma had begun Serie A’s sixth round at the summit, only for Inter to move above them after a 3-0 win over Parma. The meeting with Como therefore arrives with consequence at both ends of the table, but the home coach used his pre-match appearance to question the management of Kean during Italy duty.
Fàbregas seeks closer dialogue
Fàbregas said the forward had played while carrying a problem after taking a knock against Belgium. “Kean played injured,” the Como coach said. “He received a blow against Belgium and then played another 90 minutes. Now he is injured and will be out for around ten days. There needs to be better communication with the clubs.”
Kean completed Italy’s Nations League match with Belgium on 25 September, a game that ended 0-2. He was then an unused substitute for the 1-4 fixture in Turkey, before playing the full match in the 1-1 draw with France at Saint-Denis. Already affected by the issue, he was not selected for the subsequent Turkey match in Bologna, won 3-1.
The Italian federation responded quickly through national-team doctor Angelo De Carli, who maintained that clubs are kept informed throughout international gatherings. He said the medical department stays in regular contact before, during and after a camp in order to monitor called-up players, adding that this process had continued during the latest break.
For Como, the disagreement now sits alongside the more immediate challenge of facing a Roma side still close to the Serie A lead. Kean’s enforced spell away leaves Fàbregas preparing for an important home occasion without one of his attacking options, while the debate over club and country responsibilities has travelled back from the international calendar to northern Italy.
