Como Mark Champions League Debut With Stunning 4-1 Win Over Leipzig
Como began their first Champions League campaign with a statement victory, beating Leipzig 4-1 on the shores of Lake Como to end a 119-year wait for European football in emphatic fashion.
Cesc Fabregas’s Serie A newcomers took control before the interval through goals from Martin Baturina and Tasos Douvikas, leaving Leipzig with a substantial deficit after an opening half in which they struggled to impose their intended approach. Assane Diao added a third after the break, and Maximo Perrone completed the home side’s landmark evening. Andrija Maksimovic scored for Leipzig, but the late consolation did not change the scale of the visitors’ defeat.
The result reflected Como’s growing ambition under Djarum Group ownership, which has backed the club since 2019, and gave the Italian side an ideal opening to the league phase. Leipzig, meanwhile, were left to confront a performance their own senior players judged to be well below the level required in Europe.
Leipzig players admit plan broke down
Captain David Raum said the away side had been comprehensively outplayed, particularly in the first 45 minutes. The 28-year-old left-back described the result as “really awful” and said Leipzig had taken “a real thrashing”. While he felt the second half represented a slight improvement, Raum said there had not been enough quality in any area of their display.
Leipzig had gone into the match with a defined plan, but Raum said the players were neither sufficiently brave nor intelligent in possession. He believed there had been opportunities to play through Como, yet the execution lacked sharpness. His immediate message was that the squad must regroup quickly and learn from the defeat.
Central defender Willi Orban offered a similarly frank assessment. The 33-year-old said Leipzig’s preparations had been reasonable, but it became apparent early on that they could not establish control over Como’s play. He credited the hosts for their activity on the ball, their decision-making and the quality of their passing in the final third.
Orban said the match was particularly painful because Como had demonstrated aspects Leipzig must now improve, concluding that the visitors’ game plan had simply failed.
Leipzig return to Champions League action on October 13, when PSV Eindhoven visit the Red Bull Arena for matchday two. Martin Demichelis’s side will need a more secure defensive display and greater composure in possession if they are to restore momentum in the race for the knockout rounds.
Como travel to Rotterdam a day later, with Feyenoord awaiting them at De Kuip after a European debut they will not forget.
