Como delivered one of the most remarkable displays ever witnessed in Champions League history by demolishing Lens 9-1 on the road, equalling the competition record for the highest number of goals scored by one team in a single match.
Cesc Fabregas’ squad matched Bayern Munich’s nine-goal feat against Dinamo Zagreb in 2024, extending an impressive European run that has surpassed all expectations. Following strong 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 swift ascent has been equally striking, given that they were playing in Serie D, the fourth tier of Italian football, as recently as the 2018-19 campaign.
Como etched their name in 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 span. He remembered the spotlight on Fabregas when Como first achieved 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 found the net 12 times in a 12-2 win over Icelandic side KR in September 1969.
Como’s 9-1 result also made them just the third team in Champions League history to secure victory by an eight-goal difference. Liverpool and Real Madrid had previously recorded the same margin with 8-0 home wins against Besiktas and Malmo respectively.
The Italian outfit also became the first team since Feyenoord’s 9-0 away win over Olympiakos Nicosia in September 1971 to register nine goals in an away European Cup fixture. Moreover, their 19 goals across their opening four European matches 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 transform into a professional football operation, meaning the original television venture had to be shelved.
Even with considerable financial support, Como’s swift advancement has caught many observers off guard. Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock emphasised that affluent ownership by itself does not ensure success, instead crediting the recruitment approach and Fabregas’ impact.
Warnock feels the manager has purposefully focused on young, driven players capable of development. He further noted how the squad’s evolution seems to reflect Fabregas’ own growth as a manager, with both advancing in tandem.
How Como struck nine times against Lens
Como required merely seven minutes to break the deadlock, with Greece international Tasos Douvikas converting from close range. The striker would go on to 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 inclination to ease off after the break. Captain Lucas da Cunha extended the lead to 4-0 within two minutes of the second half before Marc-Oliver Kempf nodded in another goal in the 53rd minute.
Paz then supplied the assist for Douvikas, who finished calmly to complete his hat-trick. Substitute Mattia Liberali subsequently exploited the space behind the Lens defence to claim 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 hit back when Ruben Aguilar connected with a well-struck 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 claimed Como’s eighth goal after penetrating an increasingly chaotic Lens defence, making it 8-1 with over 20 minutes still remaining.
The visitors eventually 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.
However, the goal was initially disallowed for offside. A VAR review subsequently verified that Papaccioli had mistimed nothing in his run, permitting the goal to stand and prompting additional celebrations among the Como players.
The final whistle confirmed a historic 9-1 triumph, granting Fabregas’ team a share of the Champions League scoring record and the largest away victory in the competition’s annals. For a club that was competing in Italy’s fourth division only a few years earlier, the accomplishment represented yet another remarkable landmark in their ascent.