Como get late Caqueret squad reprieve

The switch is simple enough on paper: Caqueret comes in, Rodriguez goes out. But Football Italia reported that Como’s request was backed by medical documents showing Rodriguez is not expected back for at least two months, which is what allowed the club to seek the change before the match.

Rodriguez’s injury has an especially footballing kind of meanness to it. Cesc Fabregas said the winger was hurt while kicking the final ball of training. One last strike, then suddenly paperwork, medical evidence and a revised squad list.

Caqueret had not been included in the original Champions League list. Now, after UEFA’s approval, he is available and Football Italia said he is likely to start on the bench. That is not the same as solving Como’s problems, but it does give Fabregas another usable midfielder on a day when usable bodies matter almost as much as tactics.

And the numbers are the real point here. Football Italia said Trevoh Chalobah, Assane Diao and Moise Kean also remain injured, leaving Fabregas with only 16 outfield players available against United. In that situation, a late administrative ruling stops looking bureaucratic and starts looking necessary.

Como did not get a breakthrough signing or a tactical surprise out of this. They got one extra player onto the teamsheet, which is sometimes the most honest kind of good news.