Como visit San Siro two points behind Inter after tying Champions League’s biggest win

Como's 9-1 win at Lens matched the biggest victory in Champions League history and came days before they face Inter in Serie A. Still without Lautaro Martinez, Inter meet a fourth-placed opponent in rare form on Sunday.

A night of Champions League history comes with Como to San Siro on Sunday. Cesc Fabregas’s side won by eight goals at Lens on Matchday 4 of the league phase. That margin matches the 8-0 home wins Liverpool and Real Madrid recorded against Beşiktaş and Malmö. It is also the biggest away win in the competition’s history, and it came from a club playing its first Champions League season.

Bayern München had previously been alone in reaching nine in a single game in this competition, and Como now join them. Douvikas was named Player of the Match. Nico Paz, Lucas Da Cunha, Marc-Oliver Kempf, Mattia Liberali, Martin Baturina and Matteo Papaccioli added the other goals. Ruben Aguilar’s volley was the only reply for Lens.

The win leaves Como fourth in the league-phase table at the halfway point. They have now scored 19 goals in four games in the competition.

Their domestic numbers are just as strong. Lazio lead the league on 28 points, with Roma third on 24, one ahead of Como. Fabregas’s team have seven wins, two draws and one defeat. They have scored 18 goals and conceded 8.

Fabregas told his young players to stay humble and keep learning, Football Italia reported. He was also angry about the goal Como conceded after his three substitutions changed their defending. He wanted the whole city of Como to enjoy the night. Work on the Inter game was set to begin the following day.

Inter come into the game off a 3-0 win at Feyenoord. It was their second Champions League win of the season and followed the derby defeat. Yann Bisseck, Pio Esposito and Piotr Zieliński scored. Bisseck’s curling left-footed strike was his first goal in the competition.

Sunday will test whether that night marked a genuine recovery. Inter must do it without their captain. Lautaro Martinez will miss the game with the left thigh flexor problem that has kept him out since mid-October, Fanpage.it reported. Bonny and Pio Esposito are the options to partner Thuram. Lautaro will stay in Milan over the break to regain full fitness.

The Matchday 11 meeting pits second against fourth. It is also Inter’s last match before the international break, which runs from Monday, November 9, to Friday, November 20. A win would keep Como at arm’s length. A defeat would let them move above Inter in the table.

Once the break ends, Inter travel to Atalanta on November 22. VfB Stuttgart then visit San Siro in the Champions League on November 25.