Como’s Champions League ambition more than just a dream

When Cesc Fabregas walked into the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia as head coach of Como 1907, few in Italy’s top flight genuinely entertained the notion that this Lombard club would be dreaming of Europe’s grandest stage.

Fast-forward to late January 2026, and the once-modest side sit in the thick of the Serie A chase, their confidence encapsulated by a breathtaking 6-0 demolition of Torino on 24 January – a result that has fans, pundits and neutrals alike asking whether Serie A’s Champions League places are genuinely within reach.

That win – the club’s largest ever margin at this level – was a statement of intent. Anastasios Douvikas struck twice, while Martin Baturina, Lucas Da Cunha, Nicolas Kuhn and Maxence Caqueret all found the net as Como delivered a blitz that was as comprehensive as it was symbolic.

The performance moved them to 40 points through 22 games, nestled just outside the top four in a packed race for Europe’s elite competition.

This season’s surge is no flash in the pan. Under Fabregas – the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder now applying his vision from the touchline – Como have blended attacking verve with organisational discipline to fashion results that would have seemed fanciful last summer.

Their home form has turned Giuseppe Sinigaglia into a real fortress, epitomised by memorable results such as a stunning 2-0 victory over Juventus in October, a triumph that hinted at their capacity to mix with Italy’s traditional powers.

Key to the Lariani’s rise has been the performances of their youthful and eclectic squad. Douvikas and Nico Paz share the league scoring honours, both chipping in with eight goals, while Kuhn’s opening Serie A strike against Torino provided a feel-good subplot to the rout.

The midfield dynamism of Baturina and the creative instincts of Lucas Da Cunha have given Fabregas tactical flexibility, allowing Como to play with both purpose and freedom.(C)Getty images

In essence, Como’s ascent has been too steady and too credible to dismiss as mere romanticism. They have navigated the grind of Serie A with consistency that belies their recent arrival in the division, proving a threat to clubs traditionally favoured for Europe. As the race for the top four tightens – with Napoli, Juventus and others jostling for position – Como remain very much in the conversation.

For a club once focused on survival, the leap to genuine Champions League contention is seismic. Yet, under Fabregas’s stewardship, this fairy-tale city by the lake looks less like a dream and more like a dawning reality.

The only question now is whether they can sustain this momentum and turn aspiration into qualification before the season’s final chapter is written.