Como announced their arrival on European football’s grandest stage in explosive style, delivering a stunning 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. Marking the club’s first UEFA Champions League appearance and their first European match in club history, Cesc Fabregas’ side produced a commanding display on Thursday night. Martin Baturina, Tasos Douvikas, Assane Diao, and substitute Maximo Perrone all found the net to cap a historic debut in the 2026-27 league phase, ensuring the Italian side delivered the standout result of the opening round.
The Italian hosts established control early through a sharp partnership up front. In the 15th minute, Baturina unlocked the German defense following a slick attacking exchange with Douvikas before finishing cleanly. The duo reversed roles in the 38th minute when Baturina turned provider for Douvikas to double Como’s advantage. The strike made Douvikas the first Greek player to score on his Champions League debut since Evangelos Mantzios achieved the feat for Panathinaikos against Werder Bremen in September 2005. Meanwhile, Baturina earned his own place in the record books, becoming just the second Croatian player after Mislav Orsic to both score and assist in multiple Champions League matches.
Fabregas’ team didn’t slow down after the interval, extending their advantage in the 54th minute when Assane Diao turned home Como’s third goal. Andrija Maksimovic pulled one back for Leipzig four minutes later to briefly offer the visitors a lifeline, but Como refused to let their grip on the game slip. Substitute Maximo Perrone completed the rout in the 90th minute to restore the three-goal cushion. Underlying the scoreline was total tactical authority: Como controlled the expected goals battle 2.3 to 1.42 and created six Opta-defined big chances compared to Leipzig’s two.
Despite the remarkable nature of the victory, Fabregas called for calm after the final whistle, insisting he wouldn’t get carried away by his team’s dream European start. The historic win crowned a dramatic Thursday night across the competition, which featured 19 goals across six matches as Matchday 1 drew to a close. While Bayern Munich and Manchester United also made winning starts, Lens secured a late victory against Slavia Prague, and draws were contested in Fenerbahce-Roma and PSV-Shakhtar, Como’s emphatic triumph over Leipzig proved to be the night’s definitive performance.
