Cesc Fabregas has been Chelsea’s eyes on the ground in Italy, previously giving his assessment of Marco Palestra when he came up against Como.
Cesc Fabregas has quickly built an impressive managerial reputation at Como, guiding the club to a historic European qualification finish in Serie A. His success even sparked brief rumors of a return to Chelsea before the club appointed Xabi Alonso.
Marco Palestra and Fabregas’ paths directly crossed in January 2026, when Marco Palestra, then on loan at Cagliari, faced his Como side in a tight 1-1 draw.
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Cesc Fabregas full of praise for Marco Palestra
Last November, Cesc Fabregas alluded to Palestra before facing Cagliari in the pre-match press conference.
“Palestra is one of the surprises of the season, he’s very strong, I didn’t know him. He’s incredibly good.”
The two sides faced each other on November 8, 2025, where Palestra started the match at right midfield in a 4-5-1 setup designed to block the spaces that Fabregas’ side relies on to dominate possession.
Tasked with defensive and tracking duties, Palestra played 78 minutes before being substituted, putting in a solid shift that helped ensure Cagliari walked away from the match with a valuable clean sheet.
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Cesc Fabregas isn’t the only one to have praised Palestra, as he has quite a few positive references.
Gian Piero Gasperini (Roma / Parent Club Manager):
“I expected his explosion; he has always been destined for greatness since he was young. Now he is growing a lot, and the experience at Cagliari has been extraordinary for him.”
Luciano Spalletti (Italy National Team Manager):
“Palestra has incredible strength; he represents a truly unique profile in recent Italian football.”
Stefano Bonaccorso (Atalanta Youth Academy Director):
“He has always possessed great technique. Given his physical attributes, it was entirely natural for him to eventually transition to playing on the flanks to truly stand out.”
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