Cesc Fàbregas named Serie A coach of the year as Dimarco wins MVP

This Wednesday, the Gran Gala del Calcio—Italy’s equivalent of the UNFP awards—handed out its top prizes. According to L'Équipe, Cesc Fàbregas was named best coach in Serie A.

Reward for Fàbregas’ job

The former World Cup winner in 2010 with Spain has kept building momentum since stepping away from playing in 2023 and taking over at Como, initially when they were in Serie B. After earning promotion to the top flight and later steering the team to a comfortable stay, the Lombardy side finished last season fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

The gala wasn’t only about the coach. As L'Équipe reports, Argentine midfielder Nico Paz received the best “espoir” award. The reasoning cited is his previous campaign output: 12 goals and 6 assists.

Dimarco the top performer

For the player award, the Gran Gala named Federico Dimarco player of the year for his standout season at the Inter. The outlet highlights offensive numbers that are especially striking for a full-back/piston role: 7 goals and 18 assists.

With these awards, both the impact of Fàbregas’ Como project and Dimarco’s individual level have become the headlines at the event, as reflected in the Gran Gala del Calcio results, per L'Équipe.