Como hit nine in historic Champions League defeat, Fabregas asks players to stay humble

Cesc Fabregas wants Como to keep their feet on the ground after his side produced a result that few would have predicted, beating RC Lens 9-1 away from home in the Champions League. Despite the record score, the Spanish coach was quick to remind his players that there is still a lot of work ahead.

The win made Como the first team to score nine away goals in Champions League history. The eight-goal winning margin also matched the biggest in the competition previously achieved by Liverpool against Besiktas in 2007 and Real Madrid against Malmö in 2015. The result moved Como up to fourth in the league stage table.

Fabregas was satisfied with the performance but he felt that this opportunity should not lead to complacency, especially with several young players in his squad. He wanted them to enjoy the moment without allowing one extraordinary outcome to change their thinking or expectations.

“It was a great night for Como, for all our fans and for many young players who are just starting their careers,” Fabregas said after the match. “But we have to keep our feet on the ground, stay humble and work hard. That’s something we always have to learn.”

The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder also warned his players not to get carried away by the scale of their victory. “We need to learn this now so we don’t hype ourselves up or think the job is done,” he added. “We have to learn to say: OK, it was a good day, let’s go forward and try to keep performing well.

The result was also Como’s first away win in its debut season in European competition. It extended their winning streak in all competitions to six games, with a Serie A game against Inter next up on Sunday.

DOUVIKAS RUNS COMO’S GOAL FEST

Tasos Douvikas was at the center of the nine-goal spectacle, scoring a hat-trick to become the first Como player to do so in European competition. He also became only the third Greek international to score a Champions League hat-trick. Another regular was Nico Paz, who scored once and added two assists.

Lucas Da Cunha, Marc-Oliver Kempf, Mattia Liberali, Martin Baturina and teenage debutant Matteo Papaccioli also got on the scoresheet. Douvikas has now scored in all four of Como’s Champions League games, while the club’s overall tally has reached 19 goals, just one behind Paris Saint-Germain.

COMO QUICK ENTRY UNDER FABREGAS

Como’s progress has been remarkable considering this is their first ever campaign in European competition. They opened with 4:1 wins over RB Leipzig and Manchester United before suffering a 3-2 defeat to Feyenoord. The demolition of Lens was their first away Champions League win.

Their home form has been equally encouraging. Como are fourth in Serie A with 23 points from 10 games and have won six consecutive games across competitions. Next up on Sunday is Inter, currently second in the table.

There is also a lot to play for in Europe, with AEK Athens, Real Betis, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona yet to come. Fabregas made it clear that Lens should enjoy the result but should not distract him from the challenges ahead.

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