UCL | Como 4-1 RB Leipzig: Perfect Champions League debut

Como made a dream Champions League debut, sweeping RB Leipzig aside 4-1 with goals from Martin Baturina, Tasos Douvikas, Assane Diao and Maxi Perrone.

This was a truly historic occasion, as the Lariani had never even participated in UEFA tournaments before, let alone the Champions League. The Stadio Sinigaglia underwent renovation work over the summer to meet the criteria and hosted this special match.

Maxence Caqueret, Edoardo Goldaniga and Jayden Addai were off the UEFA list, but Moise Kean was made to wait for his first start since the deadline day move from Fiorentina. RB Leipzig missed Christoph Baumgartner, Viggo Gebel, Rocco Reitz, Abdoul Koné and Leopold Zingerle, with Brajan Gruda, Castello Lukeba and Romulo back in the squad after injury. Ex-Milan forward Christopher Nkunku and former Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui were back on Italian soil.

There was a big early double Vandevoort save on Tasos Douvikas and the Nico Paz follow-up, although the offside flag did go up on the Lucas Da Cunha roll across from the left.

Como scored their historic first goal in the Champions League when Baturina started the move, then was ready when the Douvikas roll across from the right was intercepted, sending a defender to ground with a dummy before drilling in from 12 yards.

Antonio Nusa nearly equalised moments later, Jean Butez getting behind the solo strike, but the goalkeeper needed a fantastic save to palm away the Andrija Maksimovic curler, with Marc Guiu unable to keep the follow-up header on target.

Instead, Como doubled their lead when an inspired Baturina pass from inside his own half sent Douvikas running to spring the offside trap, hold off Castello Lukeba and drill home.

After the restart, Orban just failed to connect with a dangerous David Raum free kick, but just as Leipzig were pouring forward, they were caught out on the counter.

Nico Paz sent Diao down the right and everyone expected him to cross, but instead he rifled in from a very tricky angle with his right foot.

Jacobo Ramon made a crucial sliding tackle on Nkunku, but it should’ve been 4-0 when Vandervoordt flapped at a cross and Lucas Da Cunha off balance turned inches wide of the empty net.

Just 60 seconds later, RB Leipzig pulled one back when Nkunku intercepted a wayward Nico Paz pass out from defence and set up Maksimovic for a scorching finish from the edge of the box.

The Ezechiel Banzuzi looping header skimmed the woodwork from a corner, as did Ridle Baku from a difficult angle after shrugging off his marker.

It should’ve been 4-1 when Moise Kean robbed El Aynaoui to spark the counter-attack, but Nico Paz stumbled and turned wide.

That was only a warning, as in the final minute Nico Paz combined with Kean and picked the perfect pass to send Maximo Perrone clear, sweeping past the on-rushing goalkeeper with the inside of the left boot.

Como 4-1 RB Leipzig

Baturina 15 (C), Douvikas 38 (C), Diao 54 (C), A Maksimovic 58 (RB), Maxi Perrone 90 (C)

10-09-2026 20:00

MatchDay 1

Player statistic

1st half

2nd half

Como

Leipzig

Starting lineups

1 Jean Butez Goalkeeper

3 Álex Valle Defender

4 Jacobo Ramón Defender

99 Trevoh Chalobah Defender

27 Yan Couto Defender 74'

6 Luis Milla Midfielder

20 Martin Baturina Midfielder 66'

10 Nico Paz Midfielder

9 Anastasios Douvikas Attacker 65'

11 Assane Diao Attacker 86'

7 Lucas Da Cunha Attacker 65'

26 Maarten Vandevoordt Goalkeeper

23 Castello Lukeba Defender

22 David Raum Defender

17 Ridle Baku Defender 88'

4 Willi Orbán Defender

30 Andrija Maksimovic Midfielder 70'

21 Neil El Aynaoui Midfielder

13 Nicolas Seiwald Midfielder 60'

7 Antonio Nusa Attacker

28 Christopher Nkunku Attacker 60'

9 Marc Guiu Attacker 60'

Substitutes

13 Alberto Dossena Defender

97 Robert Sánchez Goalkeeper

30 Mattia Liberali Midfielder

17 Jesús Rodriguez Attacker

16 Kaiki Defender

12 Lorenzo Ginelli Goalkeeper

90 Moise Kean Attacker 65'

5 Máximo Perrone Midfielder 65'

2 Marc-Oliver Kempf Defender 66'

28 Ivan Smolcic Defender 74'

21 Samuele Ricci Midfielder 86'

16 Lukas Klostermann Defender

1 Ørjan Nyland Goalkeeper

11 Johan Bakayoko Attacker

40 Rômulo Attacker

3 Maxime Estève Defender

35 Max Finkgräfe Defender

37 Benno Kaltefleiter Midfielder

8 Assan Ouédraogo Midfielder 60'

27 Tidiam Gomis Attacker 60'

6 Ezechiel Banzuzi Midfielder 60'

10 Brajan Gruda Attacker 70'

39 Benjamin Henrichs Defender 88'