Como delivered one of the most remarkable displays ever witnessed in Champions League football by dismantling Lens 9-1 on the road, equalling the tournament record for the highest number of goals scored by one team in a single fixture.
Cesc Fabregas’ squad matched Bayern Munich’s nine-goal feat against Dinamo Zagreb in 2024, extending an exceptional European run that has surpassed all expectations. Following impressive wins over RB Leipzig and Manchester United, with a narrow loss to Feyenoord sandwiched between them, the Italian side climbed to fourth place in the league phase table.
The outcome also set a new benchmark for the largest away win in Champions League history. Como’s meteoric ascent has been equally extraordinary, given that they were competing in Serie D, the fourth tier of Italian football, as recently as the 2018-19 campaign.
Como secured Champions League history with a nine-goal demolition
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha commended Como’s accomplishments, emphasising how dramatically the club has progressed in such a brief timeframe. He remembered the scrutiny surrounding Fabregas when Como initially gained promotion and was still battling relegation.
Onuoha characterised Como, together with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, as one of the three most thrilling sides in the Champions League. Their most recent showing offered further evidence supporting that view.
While Como now shares the Champions League record for most goals in a single game, Feyenoord still holds the European Cup record. The Dutch club netted 12 times in a 12-2 triumph over Icelandic outfit KR in September 1969.
Como’s 9-1 win also made them just the third team in Champions League history to secure victory by an eight-goal margin. Liverpool and Real Madrid had previously recorded the same margin with 8-0 home wins against Besiktas and Malmo, respectively.
The Italian club also became the first side since Feyenoord’s 9-0 away victory over Olympiakos Nicosia in September 1971 to register nine goals in an away European Cup match. Moreover, their 19 goals across their opening four European fixtures equalled a record previously held solely by Queen’s Park Rangers in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup.
Cesc Fabregas drives Como’s extraordinary progression
Como’s transformation has been powered by a takeover involving London-based media company Sent Entertainment, owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono.
When the Hartono brothers finalised their deal in 2019, their initial plan was to create a television project showcasing matches featuring young Indonesian footballers. The concept was to broadcast those games back home, but Como’s unforeseen promotion swiftly altered their intentions.
Chief executive Mirwan Suwarso clarified the circumstances during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored Podcast in October. He recounted how the club’s promotion compelled them to become a professional football operation, meaning the original television venture had to be shelved.
Even with considerable financial resources, Como’s swift advancement has astonished many onlookers. Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock emphasised that wealthy ownership alone does not assure success, instead crediting the recruitment approach and Fabregas’ impact.
Warnock feels the manager has purposefully pursued young, driven players capable of development. He additionally noted how the squad’s evolution seems to parallel Fabregas’ own growth as a coach, with both progressing simultaneously.
How Como netted nine goals against Lens
Como required merely seven minutes to break the deadlock, with Greece international Tasos Douvikas converting from close range. The striker would ultimately score twice more before sealing his hat-trick later in the contest.
Nico Paz grabbed the third goal five minutes before the interval with a fierce strike. The Argentine midfielder then displayed a tribute on his shirt honouring Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel, who passed away following a serious injury sustained in an on-pitch collision.
Lens were already finding it difficult to cope with their opponents, but Como demonstrated no desire to ease off after the break. Captain Lucas da Cunha made it 4-0 within two minutes of the second half before Marc-Oliver Kempf headed home another goal in the 53rd minute.
Paz then supplied the assist for Douvikas, who finished calmly to claim his hat-trick. Substitute Mattia Liberali subsequently exploited the space behind the Lens defence to grab Como’s seventh in the 62nd minute.
With ample time remaining, the prospect of equalling or exceeding Bayern Munich’s record grew increasingly plausible. Lens briefly replied when Ruben Aguilar struck a well-executed volley from a corner, but their goal did little to disrupt Como’s control.
Late strike confirms historic 9-1 Champions League triumph
Martin Baturina added Como’s eighth goal after penetrating an increasingly chaotic Lens defence, making it 8-1 with over 20 minutes still remaining.
The visitors finally completed their record-equalling display in stoppage time. Eighteen-year-old Matteo Papaccioli was released through and maintained his composure to find the target, seemingly bringing an extraordinary evening to its close.
Nevertheless, the goal was initially disallowed for offside. A VAR review later confirmed that Papaccioli had timed his run correctly, enabling the goal to stand and prompting further celebrations among the Como players.
The final whistle confirmed a historic 9-1 triumph, granting Fabregas’ side a share of the Champions League scoring record and the largest away win in the competition’s history. For a club that was playing in Italy’s fourth division only a few years earlier, the accomplishment represented yet another extraordinary landmark in their ascent.
By Anna Italia
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