Como are preparing for one of the biggest nights in their history as they host Manchester United in the Champions League. Coach Cesc Fabregas described the occasion as a historic day for the club, the city and its fans, and said the club's rise has been like moving into another world.
The rise has been remarkable. Only a few years ago, Como were a Serie D club playing in front of crowds measured in the hundreds. Their status as an amateur side first attracted the London-based media company Sent Entertainment, owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono, who concluded a deal with the club in 2019. Their original plan centred on a TV project, not a visit from a club of Manchester United's stature.
United arrive in Italy on the brink of a full-blown crisis, having gone six games without a win, their worst run since 2018-19. Still, their global standing remains immense. When United last won the Champions League in 2008, Como were playing in one of Italy's semi-professional regional leagues.
The story has also been shaped by Como's surroundings and ambition. The Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium sits by the banks of Lake Como, and the club now markets lakeside hospitality alongside a new club shop in town. Under Fabregas, Como finished fourth in 2025-26, capitalising on AC Milan's shock defeat at Cagliari, and have gone from Serie B to the Champions League in five seasons. Fabregas said the club must stay humble and remember where it came from, adding: "We are a family here."
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing