Cesc Fabregas Stands Firm: 'Shoot Me for This Defeat, Not My Players!'

Cesc Fabregas Defends His Players After Defeat to Feyenoord.

"Shoot me, not the players," according to "Sports Three". Fabregas entered the press conference room at De Kuip Stadium ready to take full responsibility for Como's defeat to Feyenoord. His team lacked the brilliance of the first leg at home against Leipzig, and the manager began by explaining one of his decisions: placing Niko Paz further forward than usual. "We thought it was a good way to attack them, as you saw in the goal," he said. "It's a pity that the match conditions were exactly right for Diao, the player who scored and then got injured."

Another important factor of that night was the events on the platforms. The De Kuip Stadium was abuzz for the entire 90 minutes and the energy of the fans fueled Feyenoord from start to finish, something Fabregas knows well after years of playing in Europe's biggest competitions. He said: "In my 18-year career, I have played more than 110 games in the Champions League and I have lost many times in such competitions. "The energy of the stadium gives you a double boost in European competitions, but I immediately told my players: don't put your head down, these are the nights that help you grow."

This coach also did not want to point the finger of blame at anyone because of individual mistakes or a drop in the intensity of the game in the second half. "Individual mistakes," he said. If something goes wrong, it's always my fault. Leave the players alone to gain experience. Right when we got the second goal, we were playing our best game. "Even at 1-3, the team was improving and didn't give up until the last minute, as the final goal showed."

Fabregas also pointed to the quality of Feyenoord under Van Bronckhorst, who are used to dominating opponents and winning. He said: "They are a strong and disciplined team who are used to dominating the game and winning. "When you're used to winning, everything goes in your favor, even when you don't have the edge on paper."

European defeat does not change Cuomo's agenda. Fabregas put the path taken since the beginning of his career as a head coach into perspective and made it clear where the main goal is for this season. "Three years ago, when I started this job, we were sixth in Serie B and today I'm here talking about the second Champions League game in the club's history," he said. "Serie A is our priority this year, the Champions League is an extra point."

Now it's time to change focus and prepare for the trip to Florence and the match against Fiorentina. Without exaggerating Rotterdam's defeat and considering the need to get his team back on the right track in the league, Fabregas specified the next goal before leaving the press conference room: "Now we have to stay cool, keep calm and think about the trip to Florence."