The youth league is entering a crucial phase, and TuttoMercatoWeb is taking it seriously. We invited a prominent figure in the league, Como U19 coach Gianluca Falsini, who previously had a very successful stint at Roma. He was brought in by Suwarso and Ludi to lead the growth of this Como team. The team was promoted to Group 1 of the youth league this year and has already been active in the transfer market and on the field: "From a personal perspective, I am very, very satisfied with my choice," he told us at the start of our conversation. "In short, I know this is a club undergoing transformation, with a different understanding of work and people themselves, and with a mid-to-long-term vision. I can tell you that the club I see is even better than I originally imagined. That is to say, every day they strive to improve themselves, from infrastructure to each individual, and to personal growth. From this, one can also feel that there is a football atmosphere permeating 24 hours a day, and the players are always the core of the project. So I think this summary is very, very positive. Obviously, unlike the first team, this is 'year zero' for me here—I say that jokingly, but not entirely so, not because of the league itself, but because there are so many tasks: we have to play in the league, the UEFA Youth League, and the Coppa Italia. The club had to build itself from this perspective, and it has done very well. It's clear that facing such a situation with such short preparation time, we need to make some adjustments, but I repeat: the people I work with, from my coaching staff to Famien and Connor Roberts, and Fàbregas, are professionals of the highest caliber. We are lucky to be together every day, because we are all improving, and that's what I want to emphasize most."
Let's talk about the Como model. What demands did the club place on you at the beginning of the season?"Their demands were very simple: develop the talent at hand as much as possible. So, the core of the plan is individual players, not the team as a whole. Obviously, no one wants to finish last, and no one wants to be embarrassed in important competitions like the UEFA Youth League, but the 'main project' is to develop these kids in my hands as well as possible, and to give everyone playing time as much as possible. Methodologically, our approach is based on controlling the game and possession: once we have the ball, many options emerge. The game will move from static possession zones to dynamic possession zones, and then push into the opponent's final third. These concepts are very similar to those of the first team."
Following up on that: did the club ask you to play a similar style of football, somewhat like the Spanish approach, as Fàbregas does with the first team?"It's not a complete mirror image, because Fàbregas plays a 4-2-3-1 with the first team, while we use three central defenders, sometimes a 3-4-3, sometimes a 3-4-1-2, sometimes a 3-4-2-1. But the philosophy is the same. The ideas come from the Spanish youth academy system: play more through the middle, rather than out wide; maintain high density within 10 to 12 meters around the ball, because once we lose possession, our pressing must be almost perfect. Of course, we also rely on individual actions and off-ball movement to create space. The principles are the same as the first team, only the formation changes, because the youth team players have different characteristics."
This is your first time participating in the UEFA Youth League. What have you gained from it? Is it truly a "springboard" that helps Italian players, or rather, youth team players, make the leap?"We need to make a distinction here. When we play in the UEFA Youth League, we never use the same lineup as in the league, partly because the club wants as many players as possible to get playing time, and partly due to rule restrictions. As you know, in the UEFA Youth League 20-man squad, 14 players must be homegrown, meaning they must have been registered with the club for at least two years, and only a maximum of three players from the 2007 age group can be used. So, the youngsters we just bought—like Borsellino and Zamani—cannot participate in this competition. On the other hand, there are also limited spots for non-local players. Nevertheless, playing in the UEFA Youth League is extremely valuable for development. You face teams and players whose individual abilities are higher than the average level of Group 1 of the youth league, which is already a very good competition itself. You are exposed to quality almost akin to a first team. Not to mention, we were also very fortunate this year, thanks to Fàbregas's foresight, he gave our young player Papaccioli a chance in the Champions League, and he actually scored. Once you encounter clubs like Leipzig, Lens, Manchester United, or Feyenoord, you realize that this level is completely different from Group 1 of the youth league. It is an excellent accelerator for growth."
Speaking of the UEFA Youth League, you had a very good start..."Yes, think about the game against Leipzig: we conceded an equalizer to make it 1-1 in the 84th minute, but before that, we missed 5 to 6 golden opportunities. Even though they are a strong team, having just thrashed Sevilla last week and then beaten Internazionale 3-0 a week later, we played that game with a squad missing many key players. However, the club's policy is very clear: players with less playing time must also play in these matches to close the gap. This year, Papaccioli, Cassano, Grilli, and De Paoli have all been promoted to the first team... We are very satisfied with this development path. It's not easy to produce players for Serie A, or even the Champions League."
Since you mentioned him, can you tell us about Papaccioli's special experience in one minute?
"It's hard to say in one minute, but I'll try. Two years ago, when this kid arrived at just 16, he was already around the first team, and Fàbregas had just arrived too. Then he suffered a serious injury: a torn cruciate ligament. The club gave him two or three more months than usual to slowly recover, because they felt there was something special about him. A common saying they told him was: 'We will take care of you like we took care of Nico Paz.' And it's true! The Como medical team and physiotherapists deserve a lot of credit. When he recovered and was available, his first game was Internazionale-Como in the youth league. It sounds like a fairy tale, but that's how it happened. After being out for 8 to 9 months, I played him for 20 minutes, and he scored in the 90th minute to help us equalize 2-2 while playing with ten men for almost an hour. That emotion was unparalleled. Later, he scored against Manchester United in the UEFA Youth League. I always call him 'Como's image representative': zero tattoos, zero earrings, and excellent school grades. He's a Brazilian with a European mindset, a hard worker who even trains on the field on his days off."
Let's talk about another raw talent: Riccardo Cassano. He was just called up for a special national team training camp, and he scored last Sunday... How would you describe him?
"Cassano is the kind of player who understands the game a second and a half faster than others; he's incredibly intelligent. His footwork is exceptional: he scored a beautiful goal against Fiorentina, very similar to the one in the UEFA Youth League a few days ago. He has a very strong mentality, is very ambitious, willing to train, respects everyone, and has a great personality. Of course, his current weakness is absolute speed; he's not fast. To find a similar comparison, I think he's a bit like Matic during his Sassuolo days, just with different physical attributes. He still needs to improve his action speed when striking the ball, but his starting point is already very good, and he has a strong desire to win."
Let's talk about the youth league championship. Who do you think will win it this year?
"Well, that's a good question... It largely depends on what each team does in the January transfer window. But on paper, Roma is definitely the strongest right now. Closely behind, Internazionale and Parma have a slight edge over other teams in overall strength. Of course, cup competitions also have a big impact: playing in the UEFA Youth League drains a lot of physical and mental energy over three months. I'll emphasize again, the January transfer window will be very crucial, especially regarding departures."
In these rounds, has any opposing player particularly impressed you, to the point where you'd say: "This kid will definitely make it in the future"?
"There are a few, of course, all from other teams. Croci and Gasparello made a deep impression on me, and I also really like the kid Forte from Fiorentina. They really have some clear advantages compared to others. I also know Sugameli from Cagliari very well, because I coached him, but he has already made an appearance in Serie A. Considering I haven't faced Parma yet, there must be many strong players there too." Can you describe a typical day for you at Como, coach? "Of course. I wake up, have breakfast at home, then go to the office. We usually arrive around 9:00 to 9:30. With the coaching staff, we first plan individual training, then group training. Around 12:30 we have a light meal, then at 13:30 we start one-on-one match analysis with the players, letting them review what they did well and not so well in matches and training. At 14:00 we go to the field for training, which lasts about two hours. At 16:00 we have a meeting with the coaching staff to analyze the day's training and plan for the next day. Around 17:30 or 18:00, I go home, take an hour for myself, and then come back in the evening to continue working on those plans. This is very different from my rhythm at Roma, for example, there we couldn't have lunch at Trigoria, and in the afternoons I worked more from home." What do you think is key for Italy to truly produce talent? After all, many kids find it hard to find a spot in the first team when they come up from youth teams. "Every kid must have a strict individual technical plan. Lotani, Palma, and Liberali are exceptions, not the norm. Take an example from our own players: Liberali and Papaccioli. After Papaccioli scored in the UEFA Youth League, the club first interviewed him, and not long after interviewed Liberali, who answered like an adult: 'I'm happy for him, it was his first appearance, and I assisted him...' But Liberali is actually a year older than Papaccioli... yet his development path was completely different: he first played in Serie C with Milan, then was a half-season starter in Serie B with Catanzaro, and then went to Como because he is pure talent. Every young player has his own rhythm and stages. Players from the 2007 age group currently playing in the youth league, if they stopped for a year due to injury like others, it's best to stay for another six months, but by January they should go and compete with adults, even if it's in Serie C or Serie D. B teams are important, but they also need a project, a tailor-made plan: the intensity of the games I see in the UEFA Youth League is already very close to adult football. Keeping a kid only in the youth league just to win youth championships will only waste a year of his football maturity." One last word about your relationship with Fàbregas and Wilman Suwarso. "Regarding Fàbregas, I can only say good things. He is fully dedicated to the first team, but he is extremely polite. Every time I ask for his advice, or want to talk to him, he and his team are very open and willing to help. His work at Como is evident, and it's rare for the first team coaching staff and youth academy to be so close. I only met the president for a few hours in the summer, and then again after the match against Internazionale; he looked at me and said in English: 'Well done, coach, great character, I'm proud of you.' Hearing something like that from the club owner is truly very happy, and it also increases our responsibility." You invested heavily in the summer, focusing on young Italian players. Do you think Como is now seen as a strong youth academy like Internazionale, Milan, Parma, Fiorentina, Atalanta, or Roma? "This question should be asked of Facchi and Connor Roberts, not me! But I very much hope so. Our goal is to prove that Como is not just a nice story, but a team that can truly develop young players. Investing locally, sticking to a strong Italian core—take the last match against Fiorentina, for example, we only had two foreign players on the field—that's our direction. We hope the best talents will consider Como as their future choice."