Como brace for historic Manchester United clash as Fabregas plots next step
Como host Manchester United in the Champions League on the back of a remarkable rise from Serie D, with manager Cesc Fabregas urging his players to look forward rather than dwell on the journey.
Como are preparing for what staff describe as the biggest night in the club's history as Manchester United visit in the Champions League. The occasion underlines how far the Italian side have travelled: when United won their last Champions League title in 2008, Como were a Serie D club in a semi-professional regional league with crowds measured in the hundreds. A staff member said the club were still adjusting to facing Inter, Milan and Juventus, let alone United.
United arrive in Italy on a poor run of six games without a win, their worst sequence since 2018-19, but their global stature remains immense. Chief executive Mirwan Surwaso has said the club's amateur status first attracted London-based media company Sent Entertainment, owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono, who concluded a deal in 2019. A plan to screen matches involving young Indonesian players was overtaken by events when the team won promotion and had to turn professional.
Under Fabregas, Como finished fourth in 2025-26, a placing helped by AC Milan's shock defeat at Cagliari, meaning the club went from Serie B to the Champions League in five seasons from his arrival as a player. Fabregas said the club is now "another world" compared with when he retired, calling the United game a historic day for the club, city and fanbase. He stressed the need to stay humble and remember who Como were, while insisting his players must focus on what lies ahead rather than the past.
The rise brings questions. Some wonder how Como can comply with Uefa's financial rules, which the governing body does not intend to amend despite the club's ascent; Surwaso said the club's books are in order and he is not too worried. The Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia holds 12,300 and is three-quarters uncovered, a concern given forecast heavy rain at kick-off. The club also offers Lake Como tours and lakeside hospitality, and a new town-centre shop sells branded merchandise.
Long-standing supporters remain central to the story. Marco Melillo, an out-of-town fan, said he was drawn to Como's colours and stadium through an uncle's sticker collection, adding that those who were present in Serie D hope the story continues but know they will still be there if it ends abruptly. Local fan Federico Borghi, who brought a club history book to the ground, said he could not have dreamed of playing United even in the best scenarios and described facing one of the world's biggest clubs as a big honour.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
