Como scored nine goals in a 9-1 rout of Lens in the Champions League league phase on Wednesday, setting a record for most road goals by any team in the competition’s history and moving up to fourth place in the table. The Serie A side, coached by former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas, also matched the record for most goals in a single Champions League game, home or away.
Como’s eight-goal winning margin also set a competition record, tying the mark Liverpool set with an 8-0 win over Besiktas in 2007 and that Real Madrid matched with an 8-0 win over Malmo in 2015.
Douvikas Leads the Way
Tasos Douvikas became just the third Greek international to score a Champions League hat trick. His three goals were also the first hat trick by a Como player in European competition. Nico Paz controlled the match with two assists and a sublime goal that made it 3-0 in the 40th minute.
Lucas Da Cunha, Marc-Oliver Kempf, Mattia Liberali, Martin Baturina and Matteo Papaccioli also found the net for Como. Lens, who sit ninth in Ligue 1, could not contain the attack.
Fabregas Urges Humility
Fabregas said the result was a special moment for the club and its supporters. “It has been a great night for Como, for all our fans, and for many of the young players who are just starting their careers,” he said. “But we have to keep our feet on the ground, stay humble, and keep working hard. This is something we must always learn.”
He also warned his players against complacency. “We must learn this now so we don’t buy into our own hype or think that the job is already done,” Fabregas added. “We have to learn to say: ‘Okay, it was a good day, let’s move forward and try to keep putting in good performances.'”
Scoring Race and Serie A Standing
The nine goals took Como’s total across four Champions League games to 19, one behind the total that two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain have scored so far.
Como are also building momentum at home. They sit fourth in Serie A with 23 points after 10 games, five behind leaders Lazio. They next face second-place Inter on Sunday.