Lens, Nov 5 (IANS) Como produced one of the most extraordinary performances in UEFA Champions League history, dismantling Lens 9-1 away from home to register the biggest victory ever recorded by an Italian club in the competition.
Anastasios Douvikas spearheaded the remarkable demolition with a hat-trick, while Cesc Fabregas’s side became only the second team to score nine goals in a single Champions League match since the tournament adopted its modern format in 1992.
Bayern Munich were the first to achieve the feat when they thrashed Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 during the league phase in 2024. Como’s eight-goal winning margin also places them alongside Liverpool and Real Madrid, who previously recorded 8-0 victories against Besiktas in 2007 and Malmo in 2015, respectively.
The visitors established control early, with Douvikas opening the scoring in the seventh minute before doubling his tally in the 32nd. Nico Paz extended the advantage eight minutes before half-time, giving Lens a mountain to climb even before the break.
Como showed no signs of easing off after the restart. Lucas Da Cunha made it 4-0 in the 47th minute, followed by Marc-Oliver Kempf’s effort six minutes later. Substitute Mattia Liberali added another in the 62nd minute as the visitors continued to exploit a struggling Lens defence.
Ruben Aguilar briefly gave the home supporters something to celebrate with a goal in the 65th minute, but Martin Baturina restored Como’s six-goal advantage four minutes later. Debutant Matteo Papaccioli completed the extraordinary scoreline in stoppage time.
Paz was instrumental throughout, contributing a goal and two assists, while Liberali made an immediate impact after coming off the bench with a goal and two assists of his own.
The result marked Como’s third victory in four matches during their maiden Champions League campaign, further strengthening their position in the competition’s standings.
Having already recorded convincing 4-1 home victories over RB Leipzig and Manchester United, Fabregas’s team have emerged as one of the tournament’s most entertaining sides.
The nine-goal haul also made Como the first team, since Feyenoord against Olympiakos in 1971, to score nine times away from home in Europe’s premier club competition.
–IANS
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