Como’s Historic 9-1 Champions League Victory: How the Italian Club Made Football History
Nine goals. Away from home. In the Champions League. Nobody at the Bollaert stadium on Wednesday night expected that, least of all Lens.
What Happened in Lens
Como, playing in Europe’s top club competition for the first time, won 9-1 at Lens, matching Bayern Munich’s nine against Dinamo Zagreb in September 2024 for the most goals one team has scored in a single Champions League match. It is also the biggest win by an Italian club in the tournament’s history. For Lens, it is the heaviest defeat ever suffered by a French side in the competition.
How the Rout Unfolded
Anastasios Douvikas set the tone. He scored after seven minutes, again on 32, and completed his hat-trick on 57. Como led 3-0 at the break, according to German broadcaster ZDF.
Nico Paz finished with a goal and two assists. Lucas Da Cunha, Marc-Oliver Kempf, Mattia Liberali and Martin Baturina also scored. Lens pulled one back through Ruben Aguilar on 65 minutes, but Como answered with two more. The last came from 18-year-old Matteo Papaccioli, who scored on his debut in stoppage time. By the end, even some home fans were chanting “Olé” at the visitors’ passing.
A Tribute Amid the Celebrations
The most human moment came after Paz’s goal. He held up a white shirt with a photo of Jesús de Miguel, the 30-year-old Tenerife striker who died on Tuesday after a collision in a second-division match. Paz didn’t smile. His father, Pablo Paz, played for Tenerife, so this one was personal.
Why It Matters
The result is more than a headline. Como now sit fourth in the league phase with nine points, while Lens are 33rd with three. A club that was a stranger to the competition a few months ago is now a genuine contender for a top-eight finish.
In my view, the bigger story is the style. Scoring nine away from home means attacking with confidence, not parking the bus and hoping. Cesc Fàbregas has built a team that plays without fear, and that is exactly what bigger clubs dislike facing in a knockout draw. One analyst put it bluntly: treat this as a warning, not a fairytale. For Italian football, it’s a welcome boost after a few lean years in Europe. For neutral fans, it’s proof that the Champions League can still surprise us.
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