Paz, Fabregas and Como teach Man Utd a lesson

By

Chief football news reporter in Como

When Manchester United savoured the last of their three Champions League triumphs in 2008, Como were a Serie D club, playing in one of nine semi-professional regional leagues.

On Wednesday, at a rainy but picturesque Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on the banks of the iconic Lake Como, the Serie A outfit showed how far they have come.

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.

Time and again, Fabregas' side sliced through United - who are now winless in their past seven games in all competitions for the first time since 2015.

At the heart of Fabregas' team is the brilliant Nico Paz, signed from Real Madrid in 2024, who scored twice and set up another.

Since the start of September, the 22-year-old Tenerife-born Argentina international has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions than any other Serie A player.

Wednesday's superb showing took him to nine goal involvements in eight appearances - four goals and five assists - he is also the youngest Argentine player to be involved in three goals in one Champions League game since Lionel Messi against Bayern Munich in April 2009.

"He's been absolutely brilliant in everything that he has done," said Glenn Hoddle on TNT. "A lot of his play has been creative and risky, but he's pulled it off."

For Como, this is the most high-profile victory since their project began.

"It's Manchester United. We are only just getting our heads around the fact we are playing Inter, Milan and Juventus," said one member of staff.

"This is without doubt the biggest night in the club's history."

According to chief executive Mirwan Surwaso, it was Como's status as an amateur club - they returned to Serie D in 2017 after being unable to convince the authorities of their financial wellbeing - which first attracted the London-based media company Sent Entertainment, owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono.

When they concluded a deal in 2019, the Hartono brothers were planning a TV project, with the idea of screening matches involving young Indonesian players back home. A visit from Manchester United was not part of the plan.

There cannot be many Champions League stadiums you can walk around and in addition to seeing an iconic tourist attraction. Lake Como is 29 miles long and 2.5 miles wide in some parts - you also come across a yacht club and an 'Aero Club' for the sea-planes that take off at regular intervals.

The clubs themselves have been there for a long time. But Como also use their natural surroundings to offer one hour Lake Como tours, followed by 'pre-match Lakeside hospitality'.

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. There was no need for that in Serie D.

"Somehow the team got promoted, we had to go professional, and the plan had to be scrapped," Surwaso told Piers Morgan's Football Uncensored Podcast this month.

The alternative plan is still being amended substantially.

Initially it was expected this season would be a selling year, when some of the developing talents Como thought they could cash in on would be sold.

Instead, manager Cesc Fabregas steered his squad to fourth place in 2025-26, capitalising on AC Milan's shock defeat at Cagliari.

It meant in the space of five seasons from Fabregas' arrival as a player, Como had gone from Serie B to the Champions League. Earlier this week, Lionel Messi's son Ciro gave Como his seal of approval by being pictured with his dad wearing a replica Como kit. Tangible evidence of a meteoric rise.

Not night and day, another world - Fabregas

"Compared to when I finished my career here, it is completely different," said Fabregas. "It is not even night and day. It is another world.

"Playing Manchester United is a historic day once again for the club, the city of Como and fanbase.

"When I retired as a player, I coached to get experience. I explained what I thought of the club and my vision and put the plan to work. We are a family here. Even when we lose, fans come and celebrate. We need to be humble and remember who we were because the story of Como will be beautiful, and we will remember it forever."

The captivating nature of the Como story does bring with it some questions.

In the short term, some wonder how they can possibly comply with Uefa's financial rules, which European football's governing body does not intend to amend despite Como's rise from Serie B.

Surwaso told Morgan: "The scrutiny is on us but we always have our books in order, so we are not too worried."

The other point is that three quarters of the 12,300-capacity Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia is uncovered and was exposed to heavy rain during the fixture.

Growing both sides of the club is essential if Como are to maximise their potential.

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.

"We were at minus 10 when we started, but we don't want to spend time thinking about what has passed," said the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star.

"If you want to do that, retire and go write a book about what Como did. We must look at what is in front of us."

While Como now attract thousands to their games, those who followed the club when crowds were in the hundreds remain.

"I had an uncle who supported Como," said Marco Melillo, an out-of-town fan.

"He showed me the sticker collection, I saw the blue shirt and the blue colours and totally went crazy about it.

"I know in England a lot of people support teams in lower leagues, but that is not so true in Italy, where people support bigger teams. I do not like that that much. I was not really interested in supporting a team that was winning something. I liked the colours. I liked the stadium and when I came here and saw the lake, it was 'wow'.

"We know the club is in the best situation ever in its history but when I see the faces of the guys and ladies that were also here in Serie D, we just see in our eyes and say, 'OK, we hope that this story will go on as long as possible, as best as possible, but if it maybe abruptly ended, because in the past we had also some bad things, we know we will be there'."

Federico Borghi is a local, and despite the weather, came with his huge Como 1907-2007 history book.

"In 2008, I had just started to go to the stadium to attend games," he said. "Not even in our best dreams could we think of playing Manchester United. I get chills even thinking about it.

"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.

"The Premier League is my inspiration and to face one of the top three or four biggest clubs in the world, it's a big honour."