Overview
- Cesc Fàbregas named a starting XI for Como’s first-ever European match on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, picking Nico Paz, Martin Baturina and Anastasios Douvikas up front and urging players to treat the game like any other.
- Como completed a compressed summer renovation that earned UEFA Category 4 approval and included a rebuilt stand, new floodlights, upgraded media and security facilities, and a relaid pitch so the club could host Champions League games at Sinigaglia rather than relocate to Sassuolo or Udine.
- The team’s UCL place follows a rapid rise under Djarum Group ownership and Fàbregas’s coaching project, a climb from Serie D in 2019 to a fourth-place Serie A finish in 2026 that secured qualification.
- RB Leipzig arrive in mixed form and remain dangerous opponents, with recent domestic losses but a noted Champions League trend of conceding in successive away matches that Como will try to exploit.
- The match matters beyond one result because the expanded 36-club league phase magnifies early points and playing at home gives Como’s city and fans a rare chance to see top-level European football close to Lake Como.