Arguably the biggest night in the history of the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium pits Como against Manchester United in a high-stakes UEFA Champions League showdown. Wednesday's clash finds two teams in starkly contrasting circumstances.
Como produced another emphatic performance at the weekend, beating Fiorentina 3-1 in Tuscany to end a three-game winless streak in all competitions (D1, L2). That underwhelming run featured a 3-2 defeat at Feyenoord in their last Champions League outing, which canceled out their heroics from matchday one.
It was a dream European debut for Cesc Fabregas' side as they humbled RB Leipzig 4-1 at this venue, putting themselves in a position to become the first Serie A team since Lazio in 1999/2000 to win their first two Champions League home matches. However, Lariani should know better than to take anything for granted against the three-time European champions.
Glory days are long gone at Old Trafford, but Como can ill afford to underestimate Manchester United. Under-fire boss Michael Carrick is standing on the precipice of an expulsion amid the Red Devils' dreadful start. They've won just two of their ten competitive games in 2026/27 so far (D4, L4) and are currently on a six-game winless streak in all competitions.
Desperate to end their longest such run since 2019, Man Utd will be out to make amends for a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid last week and get their faltering Champions League campaign back on track.
Como
With high-profile clashes against high-flying La Liga leaders Barcelona and reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain still yet to come, Como must make the most out of their next few Champions League outings, including this one. Playing at the Sinigaglia should inspire confidence in Fabregas' camp, given that the Lariani have only lost one home match since February (W6, D3).
It's also worth noting that they won their first two home games this season by an aggregate score of 6-2 before being held to a frustrating scoreless draw by a 10-man Roma side last time out. Another dull contest is unlikely to take place on Wednesday, especially considering the fact that three of Como's last four fixtures have featured at least two first-half goals.
Meanwhile, if there's a man aware of the gravity of the threat Man Utd could pose, it's Fabregas. The former Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea star faced the Red Devils 24 times during his illustrious playing career. He's likely to put his side's fate into the hands of in-form striker Tasos Douvikas, who has scored in both Champions League appearances this term.
Manchester United
Anything other than a win in Italy could spell the end of Carrick's tenure at the Theatre of Dreams, but Man Utd's recent continental struggles paint a bleak picture for the former midfielder. Atletico Madrid inflicted United's sixth defeat across their last nine Champions League matches (D3, L6), overshadowing their 4-0 victory over Sabah Baku on the opening matchday.
Furthermore, the Red Devils have traveled poorly of late, picking up just one win in their last ten Champions League away games (D3, L6). Even the most optimistic Man Utd fans would not dare to dream big here, knowing the 20-time English champions have yet to win a competitive fixture on the road this season (D3, L2).
As if that's not ominous enough, the visitors have conceded two or more goals in eight of their last ten Champions League away outings, perhaps best summarising their travel sickness. Against this backdrop, a six-game unbeaten away run against Italian opposition (W3, D3), stretching back to 2007, offers a glimmer of hope to Carrick that he could dodge the bullet tomorrow.
Apart from the injured Assane Diao, Como must also perform late checks on Trevoh Chalobah and Moise Kean, who are both at risk of missing this showdown due to minor fitness problems. Even if deemed fit, Kean would likely start on the bench, with Douvikas expected to lead the line alongside Nico Paz and Martin Baturina.
Meanwhile, Man Utd are still without former Serie A star Patrick Dorgu and Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko. Leny Yoro is also unavailable for selection after being sent off against Atletico Madrid. Lisandro Martinez is likely to take the Frenchman's place in the starting lineup and partner up with Harry Maguire at the heart of Carrick's defense.
Como (4-2-3-1):Butez; Couto, Chalobah, Ramon, Valle; Milla, Da Cunha; J Rodriguez, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1):Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Santos, Baleba; Amad, Tielemans, Fernandes; Mbeumo.
Despite Man Utd's rough patch, it's impossible to write the Red Devils out of this one before kickoff. A win would significantly increase Como's chances of reaching the knockout stages, but we expect the teams to share the spoils in their first-ever meeting.
