Como will play a UEFA Champions League match for the first time in their history when they face RB Leipzig on Thursday at 19:00 GMT, with their European debut coming immediately on the continent’s biggest stage.
Led by Cesc Fabregas, the Italian side begin their league-phase campaign with the confidence of a team that has made a strong impression in Serie A. Como’s attacking football and defensive solidity have helped establish them as an ambitious side, and they will now look to carry that form into their first Champions League fixture.
The match will be played at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, where Como will hope their supporters can help mark an unprecedented occasion for the club. The home side are seeking to make an immediate impression in the competition and will approach the contest with the enthusiasm that has characterised their rise.
RB Leipzig, however, bring considerably greater experience of European football. The German club are taking part in the UEFA Champions League for the eighth time and will aim to control the game through their trademark intensity, pressing and high-tempo approach.
Leipzig arrive with several significant strengths despite some recent setbacks in domestic competition. They will also be without a number of established players, including Christoph Baumgartner, but remain a dangerous attacking team. Christopher Nkunku and Willi Orban are among the experienced figures available to a side determined to begin its continental campaign with a statement result.
The contrast in experience adds an extra dimension to the fixture. Como are entering the competition for the first time, while Leipzig are familiar with the demands of Champions League football and the need to impose their style from the opening whistle.
Much of the tactical interest will centre on whether Como’s creative players can find space against Leipzig’s aggressive organisation. Nico Paz is one of the Italian team’s key sources of invention, and his ability to influence the game could be important as the hosts attempt to unsettle their more experienced opponents.
At the other end, Leipzig will look to turn their pressing into opportunities and force Como to defend under sustained pressure. Their ability to dictate the tempo may provide a significant test for the Italian side, whose attacking ambition will be balanced against the need to withstand the German club’s intensity.
The contest therefore promises an intriguing meeting between Como’s energy and creativity and Leipzig’s structured, forceful approach. Both teams have clear objectives: Como want to give their supporters a debut to remember, while RB Leipzig are targeting the victory they believe would provide the ideal launch to their European campaign.
With one side entering the UEFA Champions League for the first time and the other beginning an eighth campaign in the competition, the opening league-phase encounter at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia is expected to be closely contested.