A Night to Forget in Lombardy
Como 1907 produced the shock of this season's UEFA Champions League campaign on Wednesday, October 21, beating Manchester United 4-1 at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in matchday three of the league phase. Como handed Manchester United a heavy defeat, losing 4-1 on Wednesday, October 21, at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia during the league phase of the Champions League.
The result pushed Michael Carrick's side deeper into crisis. Manchester United suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat by Como 1907 as Michael Carrick's side extended their winless run to seven matches.
Nico Paz Delivers a Career-Defining Night
An Early Blow
Como needed barely two minutes to take the lead. In the 2nd minute, Nico Paz opened the scoring from a Lucas Da Cunha assist, a move that foreshadowed how Como would prefer combinations through central spaces over wide deliveries. The setback had historical weight for the visitors, too, since Carrick's side got off to the worst possible start when Nico Paz scored inside two minutes, meaning United became the first English club in Champions League history to concede in the first two minutes in back-to-back matches.
Doubling Down After the Break
Paz kept dictating the game after the interval. Anastasios Douvikas made it 2-0 on 49 minutes after a neat assist from Paz, whose decision-making between the lines kept unlocking angles. Minutes later, United's night went from bad to worse when Paz capitalised on a loose pass from Carlos Baleba to make it 3-0 in the 57th minute.
Ramón Seals It Before Zirkzee's Late Reply
Como were not finished. Como added a fourth goal in the 76th minute, as Kaiki Bruno broke down the left flank before crossing for Jacobo Ramón, whose header left the Manchester goalkeeper with no chance. United did grab a late reply, though it changed nothing on the scoreboard: Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back in stoppage time with a header from an Amad Diallo cross, but it did not change the outcome of the match.
Carrick Faces Mounting Pressure
The Manchester United manager did not hide his frustration afterward, telling broadcasters, “It was more than disappointing,” as Carrick told TNT Sports. He also had to apologise in front of the travelling Manchester United fans who had remained in the stadium until the end.
The scale of the defeat places it among the worst in club history. This defeat marks Manchester United's heaviest loss in European competition since 1994. Statistically, it is still just the sixth loss by three-plus goals in Manchester United's Champions League history and the first since April 2019 against Barcelona in the quarterfinals.
What Comes Next
United's Test at Bournemouth
There is little time to dwell on the result. The result leaves United with three points from their opening three league-phase matches and increases the pressure on Carrick before Sunday's Premier League meeting with Bournemouth. Fans in Canada can follow United's response in the Premier League, where other recent comebacks — including Real Madrid's late turnaround against Roma and Barcelona's second-half blitz past Galatasaray — show how quickly European fortunes can swing in either direction.
Como's Rise Continues
For Como, the result is another milestone in a remarkable rise under Cesc Fàbregas. Paz concluded the 2025–26 season with 12 goals, as Como finished fourth to secure the club's first-ever qualification for the Champions League. Six games into that European adventure, a result of this magnitude against a three-time European champion only raises expectations further for the Italian side as the Champions League league phase continues.