Few fixtures encapsulate the shifting landscape of European football quite like Wednesday’s encounter at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. On one side stands Manchester United, a global giant navigating a prolonged identity crisis; on the other, Como 1907, a historic Italian club reborn through audacious investment, innovative methodology, and a squad brimming with youthful talent. While reputation favors the visitors, current form and tactical coherence suggest the hosts enter as genuine favorites.
Head coach Cesc Fabregas labeled the occasion “an historical night for the city,” a sentiment shared by a fanbase that has watched their club ascend rapidly. Since the Champions League draw in August, two dates have been circled in red: the debut European night at the Sinigaglia—a stunning 4-1 dismantling of RB Leipzig—and this showdown against United. The fixture stands as a testament to a project orchestrated by president Mirwan Suwarso and backed by one of football’s wealthiest ownership consortiums, blending sporting ambition with structural patience.
How Como became a Champions League team: Unique model, ownership power, Cesc Fabregas lead impressive rise
Francesco Porzio
Match Details: Como vs. Manchester United
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 21 | Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Stadio Sinigaglia, Como
Live Stream: Paramount+
Odds: Como +120; Draw +271; Manchester United +230
Previewing the contest, Fabregas struck a balance between reverence and defiance. “Tomorrow, we’ll all line up on the edge of our own penalty area and park the bus. Joking aside, we’ll try to play our own football,” he told reporters. “We always ask ourselves: how do you want to lose? By playing our own football and respecting our opponents. It’s a historic day for our city, a special moment that we’re experiencing during these months. We need to adapt well to the challenge, playing with composure and ambition. I don’t think we need to dwell on United’s history. Let’s enjoy the challenge, try to win, and make the most of this historic day.”
The Spaniard refused to frame the opposition’s pedigree as an insurmountable obstacle. “Manchester United are like Inter, Milan or Juventus when we play them. I focus on what the opposition do and how we can hurt them,” Fabregas explained. “If I keep telling the players to be careful of Manchester United, they’ll go onto the pitch feeling afraid. A coach must always give his team confidence, and I feel strong with my players. We can win if we do things the way they should be done. If we think our opponents are superior to us, it will be much harder.”
The Messi Connection Adds Intrigue
Adding a layer of personal narrative to the evening, Fabregas will carry the implicit backing of Lionel Messi. The Argentine icon recently shared an image of his son, Ciro, wearing a Como shirt—a gift orchestrated by Fabregas himself. The gesture underscores the deep bond between the former Barcelona teammates, while also linking Messi to Como’s breakout star, Nico Paz, who shared a national team dressing room with the World Cup winner.
The club’s connection to Messi runs deeper than current friendships, shrouded in a decades-old “what if.” Former Como owner Enrico Preziosi has repeatedly claimed the club nearly signed a 13-year-old Messi, only to be dissuaded by scouts who deemed his stature a barrier to professional success. Preziosi recounted to SportItalia: “They showed me a video of this young kid playing on field, with the ball glued to his feet. I met his father, who was asking for $50,000. I was convinced we should go ahead with the deal… when I returned, I asked Carmine Gentile and Antonino Imborgia about the boy. Their response was that someone like him would never be able to play football because he was too short.”
However, the veracity of this tale is contested. Records confirm Messi joined Barcelona at 13, not 16 as Preziosi’s timeline suggests. Both Gentile and Imborgia have denied the account entirely. “I never saw Messi at Como, nor did I ever say he was too small,” Gentile stated. “This myth resurfaces every twenty years, but it’s false. I was only in charge of the first team, not youth trials. Even if he had come here at the age of 12, no 12-year-old is 1.80 metres tall. So I can confirm that Messi never played for Como.”
Whether historical footnote or genuine sliding-doors moment, the anecdote only amplifies the romance surrounding Como’s current trajectory. For Fabregas, the focus remains entirely on the present: a platform to announce that his side is not merely a fascinating experiment, but a competitive force ready to establish itself among Europe’s elite for years to come.