From the fourth tier to the stars: Como makes history with a Greek stamp

Manos Staramopoulos • 12 de septiembre de 2026

Seven years ago, the club was wandering the pitches of the Italian fourth division. Now, under the Champions League lights and beside the enchanting lake that gave the club its name, Como experienced the greatest European night in its history.

Seven years ago, the club was wandering the pitches of the Italian fourth division. Now, under the Champions League lights and beside the enchanting lake that gave the club its name, Como experienced the greatest European night in its history. And they didn't just settle for an appearance on the big stage; they made a resounding entrance, crushing Leipzig 4–1 and sending a clear message that they hadn't arrived among the "stars" merely for sightseeing.

Highlights via DasFootball

It was a night straight out of a movie. A club that until recently was seeking its way back up, facing off against a representative of the mighty Bundesliga. Yet, on the pitch, the roles were reversed. The debutants appeared mature, courageous, and determined, while the experienced Leipzig side looked lost.

 

Cesc Fàbregas’s team showed no fear at any moment. They pressed high, moved the ball quickly, and exploited every weakness in the German defense. Martin Baturina opened a historic chapter in the 15th minute, scoring Como’s first-ever Champions League goal.

 

And then came the Greek stamp. In the 38th minute, Baturina spotted Tasos Douvikas making a run and played a through-ball. The Greek international did what he does best: he broke behind the defense, found himself one-on-one with Maarten Vandevoordt, and finished the move with the composure of a striker who needs no second invitation. It was 2-0, and Douvikas’s name had already etched itself into Como's history.

 

Leipzig had hoped to mount a comeback after the break. Instead, they faced another nightmare. Assane Diao made it 3-0 in the 54th minute; Andrija Maksimović pulled one back four minutes later, but that was as far as the German response went. In stoppage time, Máximo Perrone added the final touch to the Italian party.

 

For Leipzig, this defeat is more than just a bad result. It is another warning sign for a team that appears to have lost its competitive identity, while pressure mounts on manager Martín Demichelis.

 

For Como, conversely, the 4-1 victory represents far more than just three points.

 

It is the validation of a footballing miracle built over the course of just a few years. From the fourth division to the Champions League. From obscurity to the European stage. And on her first big night, with a Greek putting his own signature to the fairytale of the lake.


Manos Staramopoulos

Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs

Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com

Athens (Greece).

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