Great Coach + Heir to the Legend? He Leads Como to a Champions League Rout and Could Wear Argentina's No.10

On September 11 Beijing time, in the opening round of the 2026-27 Champions League season, Como defeated Leipzig 4-1, earning a big victory in their first-ever Champions League match.

So far this season, Como have recorded two wins and one draw in three Serie A matches to sit fourth, while also securing a big win in their Champions League opener. For a team that was still competing in Serie B a few years ago, this is nothing short of remarkable.

Manager Cesc Fabregas has witnessed every step of Como's rise. In the 2022-23 season, he ended his playing career at Como, when the club were still struggling in Serie B. In the 2023-24 season, Fabregas began as interim manager and later helped the team gain promotion to Serie A as an assistant coach.

After that, the young Fabregas was given the permanent head coach role. He guided the team to 10th place in Serie A in the 2024-25 season, then helped them jump to fourth in the 2025-26 season, finishing above Milan and Juventus to secure Champions League qualification. This season, Como have also achieved a big Champions League victory and currently sit fifth in the Champions League standings, behind only Paris, Bayern, Barcelona and Manchester United.

In just three years, Como have completed a major rise from Serie B to Champions League contenders, and Fabregas has clearly played a crucial role. The 39-year-old is already regarded as a potential future target for top clubs, especially Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea, where he played during his career. Although the timing may not yet be right, those clubs and other major teams are closely monitoring his situation.

Como's growth is also closely linked to Argentine youngster Nico Paz, who has recently become the team's captain. The midfielder was signed by Real Madrid and sent to Como on a loan-to-buy arrangement for development. Even after Real Madrid sold him, his contract retained a unilateral buy-back clause (allowing Real Madrid to bring him back for €80 million in the summer window of 2027), and his career development remains closely connected with Como.

In the 2024-25 season, Nico Paz made 35 appearances for Como, scoring 6 goals and providing 8 assists. In the 2025-26 season, during Como's successful push for Champions League qualification, he played 40 matches, scored 13 goals and added 7 assists, becoming the team's undisputed star. This season, he has recorded 1 goal and 2 assists in 4 matches, including two assists in this Champions League game. At the age of 22 years and 2 days, he became the youngest Argentine player since Messi (21 years and 120 days) to provide two or more assists in a single Champions League match.

It is worth noting that while this was Como's first Champions League match, it was not Paz's first. He had already played two Champions League matches for Real Madrid in 2023 and scored what remains his only first-team goal for the club against Napoli. Of course, given the existence of the buy-back clause, many people do not believe that this will be Nico Paz's only goal for Real Madrid in his career.

If that is not enough to show Nico Paz's ability, after Messi announced his departure from the Argentina national team, ESPN reporter Federico Bueno said: "If Scaloni renews his contract and continues coaching Argentina, he has already decided who will wear that legendary No.10 shirt — Nico Paz is the name who will wear that iconic No.10 after Maradona and Messi."