Como host Man United in first Champions League home game in club's 119-year history
- Como welcome Manchester United for their first Champions League home match, a landmark for a club that was in Serie D in 2008.
- Coach Cesc Fabregas says his players must believe they can win while staying humble about the step up.
- United arrive in Italy on a six-match winless run, their worst since 2018-19.
Como will host Manchester United on Wednesday night in the first Champions League home game in the Italian club's 119-year history, a fixture that underlines how far the side has climbed in a short time.
The match at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, which holds 12,300 people and is three-quarters uncovered, comes with heavy rain forecast. The ground sits beside Lake Como, with a yacht club and a base for seaplanes close by.
For context, when United lifted the last of their three Champions League trophies in 2008, Como were in Serie D, one of Italy's semi-professional regional leagues, often playing before crowds of a few hundred. The club dropped back to Serie D in 2017 after failing to satisfy authorities about its finances.
Fabregas urges belief without losing humility
Head coach Cesc Fabregas, the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder, called the tie a historic occasion for the club, the city and the supporters. He said it was a match to dream about but that his players must go out to win and take the three points.
"We slowly have to understand what it's like to face the top sides, when you know that they're better than you, but you still have to compete with what you have," Fabregas said.
He said the team's mentality and inner strength must carry them, and that the squad had grown into a stable side capable of competing in Serie A. He also warned against dwelling on past achievements, saying the focus must stay on what lies ahead. Qualification for the next stage, he admitted, is a tough path.
Como opened their debut Champions League campaign with a 4-1 win over RB Leipzig, then lost 3-2 to Feyenoord.
United travel to Italy without a win in six matches, their longest such run since the 2018-19 season, though their global following remains huge.
From amateur club to European stage
Chief executive Mirwan Surwaso said the club's amateur status first drew in Sent Entertainment, a London-based media company owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono. Their 2019 takeover came with plans for a television project featuring young Indonesian players. Promotion forced Como to turn professional and drop that idea.
The club had expected this season to be one for selling developed talent, but Fabregas took the squad to fourth place in 2025-26. In five seasons from his arrival as a player, Como moved from Serie B to the Champions League.
Former France internationals Raphael Varane and Thierry Henry are among the club's investors. Lionel Messi's son, Ciro, was photographed with his father in a replica Como shirt.
Como's rise has drawn questions about compliance with UEFA's financial rules, which European football's governing body does not plan to change. Surwaso said the club keeps its books in order and he is not overly worried by the scrutiny.
Long-time supporters remain at the heart of the story. Federico Borghi, who began attending in 2008, brought a large club history book to the stadium despite the weather and said he never imagined Como would face United. Marco Melillo, who followed the club from outside the city, said those who stood by the team in Serie D will stay even if the run ends suddenly.
