Serie A matchday 5 brings Frosinone and Como together on 20 September 2026. Frosinone sit seventh on seven points from four matches after promotion, while Como occupy third on ten and are still unbeaten. The shape of this match is already clear: Alvini's side want to win the press and hurt you on the counter, Fàbregas's want to keep the ball until you run out of ideas.
Massimiliano Alvini and Cesc Fàbregas have no prior head to head record. Alvini took charge at Frosinone on 2 July 2025, succeeding Vivarini and Greco after the 2024-25 Serie B campaign, while Fàbregas has been at Como since 19 July 2024, confirmed permanently after Osian Roberts' interim stint following Moreno Longo.
Frosinone's last five in all competitions reads L W D W D: a 1-1 draw with Genoa on 12 September, a 3-2 win over Venezia on 6 September, a penalty exit to Sassuolo after a 1-1 Coppa Italia draw around 2 September, a 3-0 win over Fiorentina on 29 August and a 0-1 loss to Juventus on 23 August. There is a pattern: they can beat good sides at home but drop points when asked to carry a game against the elite.
Como have won three and drawn one in the league, beating Parma 2-1 on 14 September and putting four past Genoa on 4 September. European fixtures add pressure to the schedule but haven't seemed to tire the squad in domestic games.
Frosinone are missing two players who matter: Florian Grillitsch is doubtful with a muscular thigh injury, which is a problem given how much the midfield screen depends on him, while Aleksa Terzic is ruled out entirely with a thigh strain, leaving the left channel lighter than Alvini would like. Fares Ghedjemis is available again after earlier transfer speculation, which softens the blow slightly. Como have only Jayden Addai out with an Achilles injury, leaving Paz, Baturina and Douvikas all available.
Frosinone work from a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 depending on the opponent, pressing high and looking to transition vertically as quickly as possible. Antonio Raimondo leads the line and scored twice against Venezia, with Giorgi Kvernadze providing the pace on the counter and Romano Schmid the passing range from midfield. Without Terzic, the left flank loses its natural width, without Grillitsch, there is a real hole in front of the defence.
Como's 4-2-3-1 is built around keeping the ball and pressing to win it back high up the pitch. Nico Paz is their best player, someone who dictates tempo and creates problems by arriving late in dangerous areas. Martin Baturina complements him well. Diao stretches play on the left, moving into the channels to give Como width, while Douvikas provides the hold up target and the runs in behind at the top of the structure. Addai's absence puts more on Douvikas to hold the line and on Paz to drop deeper to link play.
The individual battles worth watching: Raimondo's movement against Como's centre backs, especially if the visitors push their line high, Paz working between the lines against whatever Frosinone's midfield looks like without Grillitsch, and Kvernadze's pace targeting the space left by Como's aggressive full backs. Frosinone will want to unsettle Como early, force a turnover and move the ball forward before Fàbregas's side can reset. If that doesn't work and Como get hold of the ball, Frosinone's press starts to look considerably more expensive.
Frosinone have the historical edge in head to head meetings, with around four wins from six to eight encounters in lower league football compared to one or two for Como. Their most recent meeting ended 2-0 to Frosinone in Serie B in February 2023, though that feels like a long time ago given both clubs are in very different places now.
Frosinone's direct style means set pieces could matter, particularly if they can get wide deliveries into the box against Como's high line, while Como have rehearsed routines that use Paz and Baturina's movement to pull defenders out of position. Como arrive unbeaten with ten points from four games, which is the most straightforward summary of why they are favourites here. Frosinone at home can exploit teams who push too high and Kvernadze's pace in behind Como's full backs is the specific mechanism worth watching.
The way this game goes probably depends on the first 20 minutes. If Alvini's press forces errors early, Raimondo and Kvernadze can make it an uncomfortable afternoon for Como. If Como find their rhythm and Paz starts threading passes between the lines against a depleted midfield screen, Frosinone will be in serious trouble.
Como to win 2-1. With Paz and Baturina creating for Douvikas, they have more routes to goal than Frosinone's counter dependent approach, which requires transitions and errors that may not come often enough. Raimondo looks likely to score at some point and Frosinone's home form makes this genuinely competitive but Como are third, unbeaten and on ten points from four games.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
