“He’s not a friend of mine” - Cesc Fabregas on relationship with ex-Chelsea teammate Alvaro Morata after Como reunion

Como manager Cesc Fabregas has admitted that he has a great relationship with new signing Alvaro Morata, but they are not friends since the former midfielder's Chelsea exit. The 38-year-old coach has also revealed that he is not worried about the striker, who has sacrificed wages to make the move.

Speaking to the media ahead of the Coppa Italia clash against FC Südtirol, Fabregas stated that Morata is not a friend of his, and their relationship off the pitch was not important. He hinted that they will need to be strictly professional at the club and said (via GOAL):

"He's not a friend of mine. Since he left Chelsea, we haven't spoken, except for the occasional compliment. Even if he had been, he isn't today. We still have an excellent relationship: we spent two years together at Chelsea and with the national team. He's an extraordinary person, with a big heart, humble, and with a strong spirit of sacrifice, who can give a lot to the team."

Fabregas added that Morata has not guaranteed him goals, but is confident in the striker's abilities. He claimed that the Spaniard had taken a wage cut to make the move and said:

"I'm not worried about our relationship: he has a great desire to do well. He gave up over 60 per cent of his salary, a gesture that says a lot about his mentality and his intentions. He didn't guarantee me a certain number of goals, but he showed a lot of work and positivity, an important signal for me and the team."

Alvaro Morata was loaned out to Galatasaray for two seasons by AC Milan, but the Spaniard cut short his stay to make the switch to Como. The 32-year-old played 61 matches with Cesc Fabregas, 51 of those games coming at Chelsea, where they combined for just one goal.

Cesc Fabregas unsureabout ex-Chelsea teammate making Como debut

Cesc Fabregas spoke about Alvaro Morata's fitness level and cast doubt over his chances of playing against FC Südtirol. The Como manager revealed that everyone, including the former Chelsea striker, was available but with limited training since the move; he is unsure if Morata can play. He said:

"Everyone is available, but I need to talk to Alvaro: we have a plan in place. He trained first with Galatasaray, then less, doing his workouts at home. I can't give any details about him."

Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata won the FA Cup during their time together at Chelsea. The Spanish duo also got medals for the Europa League win in the 2018/19 season, despite leaving Stamford Bridge mid-season.

In January 2019, Morata joined Atletico Madrid on loan, while Fabregas was sold to AS Monaco.