In 2008, when Manchester United celebrated their third Champions League trophy, Como was competing in Serie D as a semi-professional club operating within one of Italy’s nine regional lower divisions. On Wednesday, the Italian side demonstrated their remarkable transformation by handing the English giants a heavy 4-1 defeat at the rainy Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium along the shores of Lake Como. In fact, on the evidence of their 4-1 thrashing of the English side – and with progressive coach Cesc Fabregas in the dugout – you could argue the European newcomers have leapfrogged the Old Trafford outfit and then some. There cannot be many Champions League stadiums you can walk around and in addition to seeing an iconic tourist attraction. For Fabregas, whose responsibility is clearly on the playing side, there is a balance to be struck between celebrating the spectacular journey Como have been on, and ensuring his players are not resting on their laurels. And despite the weather, came with his huge Como 1907-2007 history book, federico Borghi is a local. But that is not so true in Italy, where people support bigger teams. I do not like that that much, i know in England a lot of people support teams in lower leagues. As soon as I entered the stadium for the first time I realised this was going to be my faith. I was there in the bad times and that has strengthened my faith and my relationship with the club.
Under the guidance of manager Cesc Fabregas, the European debutants outplayed their opponents, extending United’s winless streak across all competitions to seven matches—their longest run without a victory since 2015. At the center of Como’s attack was 22-year-old Argentina international Nico Paz, who was signed from Real Madrid in 2024. Paz delivered a standout performance by scoring twice and assisting another goal during the contest. According to i had an uncle who supported Como,”, Marco Melillo, an out-of-town fan.
The Tenerife-born forward has been one of Serie A’s most productive players recently. Since early September, he has achieved nine goal involvements across eight matches, contributing four goals and five assists. His three-goal involvement on Wednesday made him the youngest Argentine to accomplish the feat in a single Champions League match since Lionel Messi against Bayern Munich in April 2009. Pundit Glenn Hoddle praised his display on TNT, noting that Paz’s creative and risky play paid off brilliantly throughout the night.
The victory marks a significant milestone for the Italian club. A staff member remarked that the team is still adjusting to competing against domestic giants like Inter, Milan, and Juventus, calling the victory over Manchester United the greatest night in the history of the club. The alternative plan is still being amended substantially. I explained what I thought of the club and my vision and put the plan to work.
The journey to the top tier began under unique circumstances. According to chief executive Mirwan Surwaso, Como’s former status as an amateur team—having returned to Serie D in 2017 due to financial issues—originally caught the interest of Sent Entertainment. The London-based media company is owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono. When purchasing the club in 2019, the owners intended to build a television project centered on young Indonesian players, without expecting to host European ties against major international clubs. The Hartono brothers were planning a TV project, with the idea of screening matches involving young Indonesian players back home, when they concluded a deal in 2019. According to we were at minus 10 when we started, but we don’t want to spend time thinking about what has passed,”, The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star. He showed me the sticker collection, I saw the blue shirt and the blue colours and totally went crazy about it.
However, after the team unexpectedly earned promotion, Como was forced to transition into a professional club, discarding the initial media project.
Although the original plan called for selling key prospects this season, Fabregas guided the team to a fourth-place finish in the 2025-26 campaign, benefiting from AC Milan’s unexpected loss to Cagliari. That push completed a rapid five-year rise from Serie B to the Champions League following Fabregas’ arrival as a player. The club’s growing status was recently highlighted when Lionel Messi’s son, Ciro, was photographed wearing a replica Como kit alongside his father.
Reflecting on the club’s development, head coach Fabregas highlighted how much the environment has evolved since he retired as a player, describing the current era as a completely different world. He called the match against Manchester United another historic moment for the city and its fans, emphasizing that the team maintains a family atmosphere where supporters celebrate regardless of results. He added that remaining humble and remembering their origins is essential as the club builds its story. According to compared to when I finished my career here, it is completely different,”, Fabregas. “It is not even night and day. And we will remember it forever, we need to be humble and remember who we were because the story of Como will be beautiful. I was not really interested in supporting a team that was winning something.
The club’s unique setting adds to its distinct profile. Located near Lake Como, which measures 29 miles long and up to 2.5 miles wide, the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium sits adjacent to a local yacht club and an Aero Club operating sea-planes. Como utilizes these surroundings to offer fans one-hour lake tours paired with pre-match lakeside hospitality. Furthermore, the local city population of just over 83,000—which could fit inside San Siro with room to spare—now supports a modern club store selling official merchandise. In town – Como’s population is just over 83,000, which means 90% of them could fit in the San Siro Stadium – there is a plush new club shop, selling all kinds of branded merchandise.
The team’s rapid ascent has also drawn high-profile backers and investors, including former France internationals Raphael Varane and Thierry Henry. However, questions remain off the pitch regarding compliance with UEFA financial regulations as the club scales up. Surwaso addressed these concerns on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored Podcast, stating that while the club is subject to strict scrutiny, its accounts are in order. So we are not too worried, surwaso told Morgan: “The scrutiny is on us but we always have our books in order.
Facilities also present an area for expansion. Three-quarters of the 12,300-capacity home stadium features uncovered seating, which left supporters exposed to heavy rainfall during Wednesday’s fixture. Infrastructure development remains key as the club works to balance commercial growth with competitive achievements.
For Fabregas, maintaining focus remains the primary goal. He emphasized that while the journey from negative starting points has been remarkable, the squad cannot dwell on past achievements. He stressed that the team must keep its focus firmly on future challenges rather than admiring what has already been accomplished.
