Suwarso: Como hosting Manchester United ‘is unreal, like a gift’ for club

Como President Mirwan Suwarso admits hosting Manchester United in the Champions League is ‘unreal’ for a club that was in the third division until 2021. ‘It is like a gift.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 17.45 UK time (18.45 CEST).

This is another prestigious opportunity for the club, who host former Treble winners Manchester United in their third ever Champions League fixture.

They beat RB Leipzig here 4-1, then were narrowly beaten 3-2 away to Feyenoord after fumbling the lead.

Suwarso took Como to Champions League

“We welcomed them with English weather,” smiled Suwarso to Sky Sport Italia under an umbrella in the pouring rain by Lake Como.

“This situation is very strange for me, and it’s not right for a club like Como. This is something like a gift we are trying to do it and take it one day at a time, but this is not where we thought we would ever be. It’s unreal.”

Como were in Serie B as recently as the 2023/24 season, and in Serie C just a couple of years before that, a club that went bankrupt three times in 15 years.

Indonesian businessman Suwarso and his family took charge and rebuilt them from the ground up, aided by coach and previously player Cesc Fabregas.

Considering so many investors rush to the Premier League, why are some now drawn to Serie A?

“This was not something we intended to do at the beginning, but it was an opportunity that presented itself. We feel a responsibility to the city that entrusted us, now we just have to trust that respect and do our best to make them proud.”

Jesus Rodriguez sustained a serious injury in training and is expected to be out of action for circa two months, with Moise Kean, Assane Diao and Trevoh Chalobah already on the absentee list.

It has prompted them to remove Jesus Rodriguez from the UEFA squad list, replacing him with midfielder Maxence Caqueret.