Sesc Fabregas steers Como from Serie D to Champions League triumph
In a striking reversal of fortunes, Como 1907, a club that played in Italy’s fourth tier just seven years ago, opened their Champions League campaign with a 4‑1 victory over RB Leipzig on the 10th, yet coach Sesc Fabregas warned the side must not lose perspective.
A dominant debut in Leipzig
All Champions League fixtures are streamed exclusively on WOWOW, which can be accessed without a BS setup – BS環境がなくても配信で視聴可能. Viewers can join WOWOW now – WOWOWに今すぐ加入. The match photograph is credited to Getty Images, Images】. CL初戦で4人がゴール。ニコ・パスは2アシスト.
Como opened the scoring in the 15th minute when forward Tasos Duvikas sent a ball into the box and midfielder Martin Batulina seized the loose ball to net the club’s first Champions League goal. Batulina’s teammate Duvikas doubled the lead in the 38th minute after receiving a pass from Batulina. In the second half, midfielder Nico Pas supplied a pass to forward Asan Diaho for the third goal in the 54th minute, and a further assist from Pas set up Maximò Perone’s strike in the 58th minute to complete a 4‑1 win.
The squad behind the surge
Como have remained unbeaten in Serie A this season, recording two wins and one draw since the campaign began. Their most recent league triumph came against Genoa, also a 4‑1 victory. Including the Champions League debut, the club have now played four official matches this season, with three wins and one draw and no defeats.
The side’s creative spark comes from 22‑year‑old Argentine midfielder Nico Pas, who joined from Real Madrid’s academy in the summer of 2024 and wears the number ten shirt. The other goal‑scorers were 23‑year‑old Croatian international Martin Batulina, 21‑year‑old forward Asan Diaho, and forward Tasos Duvikas, each contributing a goal. Further depth is provided by Italian internationals Moise Keane and Samuele Ricci, Brazilian defender Jan Cout, and former Chelsea player Trevor Charobor, among others.
Sesc Fabregas arrived at Como as a player in 2022, retired and stayed on as a coach, and now leads the team as head coach. The club competed in Serie D, Italy’s fourth tier, as recently as 2019 and have since climbed back to Serie A, achieving promotion in 2024 after a 21‑year absence. Last season they finished fourth in Serie A, securing their first ever Champions League qualification.
After the win, Fabregas said, “Tonight was a wonderful performance; it was a historic night for the club in the Champions League.” He added, “We knew Leipzig would press intensely, so we studied their positioning and prepared accordingly.” The coach also warned, “We must not lose our perspective, stay humble and keep working hard.”
The contrast between Como’s meteoric rise from the fourth tier and the coach’s call for humility underlines how quickly fortunes can change in European football. Maintaining the same disciplined approach will be crucial as the club continues its historic Champions League campaign.