Manchester United endured yet another heavy loss as Cesc Fàbregas’ Como secured an emphatic 4-1 Champions League win over Michael Carrick’s depleted squad. Nico Paz scored a brace, and Anastasios Douvikas plus Jacobo Ramón also got on the scoresheet, capping a dreadful night for the away side.

Joshua Zirkzee netted a late consolation goal, but it barely masked United’s difficulties. Como’s relentless attacking and knack for punishing defensive errors proved crucial, leaving the Italian club sixth in the table while Manchester United dropped to 20th after three fixtures.

Nico Paz puts Como ahead early

Como wasted no time making an impact, with Paz scoring after just three minutes. The Argentine capitalised on Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt sitting too deep inside the box, finding room to slot home a clinical finish and give the hosts the lead.

United could not build any momentum in the first period. Their threadbare defensive and midfield options were exposed as Como pressed with intensity, leaving Carrick’s men lacking the physical strength and calmness required to hit back.

Even after conceding early, Manchester United kept Como from adding to their tally before the break. Still, the visitors showed few signs they could reverse the situation in the second half.

Anastasios Douvikas extends Como’s lead

Carrick tried to alter the game’s direction at the interval, bringing on Carlos Baleba and Amad Diallo for Andrey Santos and Matheus Cunha. Those changes, though, did not spark the hoped-for reaction, and Como soon ramped up the pressure.

A neat one-touch sequence that started near the halfway line carved out the chance for the hosts’ second goal. Paz played the telling ball to Douvikas, who guided it into the net, leaving Manchester United with a much tougher challenge.

Como kept probing the visitors’ defensive frailties, and United could not find a dependable way to keep their opponents in check. The second goal handed Fàbregas’ side firmer control and left Carrick hunting for solutions.

Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramón pile on the misery for United

Paz grabbed his second of the evening before the hour, making it 3-0 with a cool finish past Senne Lammens. His clever movement opened up the space, and the goalkeeper could not stop another Como goal.

Manchester United’s night got worse when Bruno Fernandes was replaced by Zirkzee on 67 minutes. The captain left the pitch without much complaint as his team failed to produce any real response.

With a quarter of an hour left, Como struck again. Kaiki capitalised on a swift counter, and Maguire along with a rusty De Ligt failed to pick up Ramón, who was left free to convert and make it 4-0.

That fourth goal highlighted the defensive issues that had plagued United all match. Como, for their part, kept making the most of the visitors’ errors and edged closer to a resounding win.

Zirkzee scores as Champions League table takes shape

United finally found the net in the 91st minute when Zirkzee turned in a lofted cross from Amad. The late strike was merely a small consolation after a display in which the visitors had been outclassed for long stretches.

The result moved Como up to sixth in the Champions League standings, edging ahead of Manchester City on goal difference after scoring one more goal. Fàbregas’ team had produced a statement result, while Carrick’s side was left to ponder another frustrating evening.

Manchester United now sit 20th with one win and two losses from their first three games. Their injury troubles made for a difficult backdrop, but Como’s clinical finishing and ability to punish defensive lapses made the gap between the teams plain to see.

Real Madrid pulled off an incredible late fightback to defeat Roma in the Champions League, netting three times in the final minutes to transform a 3-1 deficit into a stunning win at the Stadio Olimpico. Jose Mourinho’s return to the ground where he had enjoyed so much success finished in frustration as his present team pulled off an astonishing turnaround.

Roma seemed to have wrapped up the victory after moving two goals ahead in the second half, but Real’s substitutes changed the game. Carlos Espi and Endrick drew the visitors level before Antonio Rudiger hit the winning goal in the 90th minute.

Mourinho’s return ends in dramatic Roma defeat

Mourinho was warmly welcomed by Roma fans, who held up several banners in tribute to their former coach. He had guided the Italian club to the Conference League trophy in 2021-22 before leading them to the Europa League final the next season.

Despite the fanfare around his return, Real Madrid appeared headed for defeat when Roma went 3-1 up in the 83rd minute. The home side had dominated large parts of the match and looked well set to claim a valuable Champions League result.

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini tried to safeguard the lead by bringing on several defensive substitutes. But his team found it hard to cope with Real’s late attacking surge, especially from corners taken by Arda Guler.

Mbappe scores on his 100th Champions League appearance

Roma went in front in the 20th minute when Marten de Roon beat the keeper with a first-time strike from about 20 yards. Matias Soule provided the assist, letting the midfielder give the home team a deserved lead.

Real Madrid hit back swiftly, equalising just five minutes later. Kylian Mbappe celebrated his 100th Champions League outing by scoring his 72nd goal in the competition, his shot deflecting off Gianluca Mancini before looping over goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini.

The visitors found it difficult to keep their momentum after the interval, allowing Roma to seize control again. Donyell Malen scored twice in a six-minute burst, putting the hosts in a dominant position and leaving Real facing the possibility of their first loss in the competition this season.

Malen’s double puts Roma in control

Roma regained their lead after Vinicius Jr. carelessly gave the ball away while trying a flick. Malen seized on the error, his shot taking a deflection off Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde before finding the net to make it 2-1.

The Dutch forward quickly scored again to stretch Roma’s advantage to two goals. Although the assistant referee initially raised the flag for offside, a VAR review determined that Valverde had kept Malen onside, confirming the goal and leaving Real with a tough challenge.

Gasperini reacted by making more defensive changes as Roma tried to close out the game. But the hosts could not hold up under the pressure once Mourinho started reshaping his team, with Real finding fresh energy through their substitutes.

Real Madrid completes a stunning Champions League comeback

Espi ignited the recovery five minutes after coming off the bench, reacting fastest to a rebound after Endrick’s header had been saved. The goal gave Real new hope and swung the momentum as Roma struggled to recover their defensive shape.

Endrick then equalised with a header from Guler’s corner. The substitute’s contribution proved vital, while Guler kept causing problems with his set-piece delivery.

Real completed the comeback in the 90th minute when Rudiger volleyed in from close range after another Guler corner. Three late goals had turned a seemingly lost cause into a memorable Champions League win for Mourinho’s side.

The result means Real Madrid have won both of their Champions League matches, despite sitting six points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona. Roma, meanwhile, have taken just one point from their opening two games after a draw and this defeat.

Napoli endured a painful 3-1 loss to Villarreal in the Champions League, letting an early advantage slip away. Amir Rrahmani scored first, but a costly back-pass from Matteo Politano swung the match in the hosts’ favor.

The Partenopei were aiming to carry momentum from their 3-0 Serie A triumph over Frosinone, yet defensive errors and wasted chances proved costly. Santiago Mourino fired Villarreal ahead with a brilliant long-range effort, and Tani Oluwaseyi wrapped up the win late on.

Napoli team updates and Champions League strain

Napoli came into the game seeking to bounce back from a 1-0 home loss to Arsenal in their opening Champions League match. Scott McTominay made his first start in five weeks after heart surgery to fix a mild benign arrhythmia.

Giovane was added to Napoli’s UEFA squad and promptly given a spot in the starting XI. Still, the Italian club was missing Frank Anguissa, Mathias Olivera, Antonio Vergara, Alisson Santos, Costantino Favasuli, and Alessandro Buongiorno.

Villarreal also required a reaction in Europe after a 3-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund. The Spanish team, sitting 11th in LaLiga before kick-off, were without the injured Nicolas Pepe and ex-Inter midfielder Tajon Buchanan.

Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was slated to start but pulled out of the squad after it came to light that his home had been hit by an armed robbery late the night before, with his family there.

Amir Rrahmani puts Napoli in front

Napoli started energetically, with Renato Veiga stretching to block Giovane’s pass from finding Rasmus Hojlund. The visitors quickly broke through from a set-piece move involving Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour.

De Bruyne took a short corner before Gilmour sent the ball to the far post. Rrahmani climbed to meet it, and though his header was brilliantly tipped onto the underside of the crossbar, the Napoli defender reacted fast to convert the rebound.

Villarreal pushed back with growing intensity. Georges Mikautadze seemed set to equalize from just inside the box, but Benoit Badiashile made a vital deflection. Pape Gueye then went close from the following corner, sending his shot just wide.

Napoli almost doubled their lead when Hojlund met a cross from Politano with a header that struck the goal frame. That miss turned out to be especially costly as Villarreal hit back almost right away.

Matteo Politano’s mistake triggers Villarreal fightback

Moments after Hojlund hit the woodwork, Politano played a terrible back-pass that Mikautadze cut out. The Villarreal attacker drew goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic off his line before finishing from a very tight angle into the empty net.

The equalizer changed the game, and Villarreal soon completed their comeback. Santiago Mourino unleashed a stunning long-range strike that flew past Milinkovic-Savic’s fingertips to put the hosts 2-1 up.

Napoli kept threatening before half-time, with McTominay heading a free chance off target. Both Mikautadze and Politano were also involved in dangerous counter-attacks as the match stayed open.

After the break, Luiz Junior rushed off his line to stop Gilmour’s through ball from reaching Hojlund. Badiashile also made a key interception to deny Napoli a close-range chance, helping Villarreal hold their lead.

Napoli falters as Tani Oluwaseyi seals the win

Napoli struggled to penetrate Villarreal’s defense in the second half and couldn’t make the most of a brief period when the hosts were down to nine men under the new delayed-substitution rules.

Hojlund had chances to alter the result but failed to convert. After Luiz Junior spilled a free-kick, the striker volleyed the rebound onto his own face. He later dribbled past three defenders but took the ball into too narrow an angle to finish effectively.

De Bruyne tried to create another opening with a cross towards the far post, which skimmed both Lorenzo Lucca’s head and Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s studs. Napoli couldn’t turn the delivery into a goal, and Villarreal eventually landed the decisive blow.

Nathan Saliba found Ayoze Perez with a pass, and though Perez’s heavy first touch was unintentional, it left the ball perfectly placed for Tani Oluwaseyi. The forward swept home with little pressure to complete Villarreal’s 3-1 victory and hand Napoli another Champions League setback.