When Manchester United last won the Champions League, in 2008, Como were a semi-professional Serie D side playing in front of crowds that were counted in hundreds. On Wednesday evening the same two clubs meet by the shores of Lake Como. A member of the club's staff put it plainly: it is, without doubt, the biggest night in the club's history.
United arrive in a mess
The visitors are not exactly flying. United travel to Italy for the 17:45 kick-off after six games without a win, their worst run since 2018-19, and on the brink of a full-blown crisis. Even so, in terms of global stature they remain immense, and that is why the locals are so excited. A fan quoted by the BBC said he gets chills just thinking about it.
How Como got here
The route was odd. Como returned to Serie D in 2017 after failing to convince the authorities of their financial health. In 2019, the Hartono brothers' London-based company Sent Entertainment concluded a deal for the club, initially planning a TV project to show young Indonesian players back home. Then the club was promoted, had to turn professional, and the plan was scrapped. Former France internationals Raphael Varane and Thierry Henry are both investors now.
Cesc Fabregas, who played for the club before retiring, went into coaching and has taken them from Serie B to the Champions League in five seasons from his arrival as a player. Como finished fourth in 2025-26, helped by AC Milan's shock defeat at Cagliari. "Compared to when I finished my career here, it is completely different," he said. "It is not even night and day. It is another world." He also warned his players not to dwell on the past. If you want to do that, he said, go and write a book.
Lakes, hospitality and a leaky ground
The setting is part of the pitch. Como sell one-hour lake tours with pre-match lakeside hospitality, and there is a seaplane Aero Club behind one of the stands of the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium. A plush new club shop sells branded kit, which nobody needed in Serie D. Lionel Messi's son Ciro was even photographed wearing a Como shirt this week.
There are practical worries. Three quarters of the 12,300-capacity ground is uncovered and heavy rain is forecast for kick-off. Some also wonder how Como will comply with Uefa's financial rules, which the governing body does not plan to change. The club say their books are in order. A wet, noisy night could suit the home side, and an upset is not out of the question. I would lean towards a draw.
Match facts: Como v Manchester United, Champions League, Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, Wednesday 21 October, 17:45 BST. Como's population is just over 83,000. United have gone six games without a win.
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