Manchester United's miserable autumn took another turn on Wednesday evening as Nico Paz fired Como into an early lead at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in a UEFA Champions League matchday three clash. The hosts were leading 1-0 deep into the first half, with Michael Carrick's visitors again toiling badly in Europe.
Nico Paz punishes a sluggish Manchester United start
Paz needed barely a couple of minutes to make his mark. On Como's first meaningful chance of the night, the scoring opened early as the Argentine sent the ball toward the right post, and it found the corner after a slight deflection off Harry Maguire.
From there, Como took control. Manchester United lost whatever grip on possession they had managed to maintain after the goal, and it was a difficult start for Michael Carrick's team, who hadn't come close to the goal area. By the 35th minute, the scoreboard still read Como 1907 1-0 Manchester United, with the Lariani dominating proceedings on a pitch made tricky by heavy rain.
Carrick's crisis deepens on the shores of Lake Como
The setting could hardly have been less forgiving for a United side already under scrutiny. Carrick is standing on the precipice of an expulsion amid the Red Devils' dreadful start, having won just two of their ten competitive games in 2026/27 so far and arriving on a six-game winless streak in all competitions. It is a stark fall for a coach who had inspired the club back into the Champions League with an excellent showing as interim boss during the second half of 2025–26.
The build-up had offered little comfort either. United had succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in their previous Champions League outing, and before that, they headed into this match needing a win to appease fans who were disappointed after a 1-1 draw against Leeds United in the Premier League.
Team news and injury list
Carrick had selection headaches of his own before kick-off. He faced major selection concerns with Lisandro Martínez, Kobbie Mainoo and Luke Shaw all unavailable, while Leny Yoro also missed out through suspension following his red card. Fabregas was not without his own problems: Como were without Jesús Rodríguez following a training injury and Trevoh Chalobah with an ankle problem, while Assane Diao remained unavailable and Moisés Kean was unlikely to return before the weekend.
What comes next for both sides
Como's European education is only beginning. With high-profile clashes against La Liga leaders Barcelona and reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain still to come, Como need to make the most of their next few Champions League outings, including this one. For United, momentum built from any positive result in Lombardy would be vital before Carrick's position comes under even greater scrutiny, with domestic duties against Tottenham looming on the horizon.
Fàbregas's 'dream come true' night at the Sinigaglia
Before kick-off, Cesc Fàbregas had made clear exactly what this fixture meant to him and his players. Speaking after guiding his team to a 3-1 win at Fiorentina on Sunday, a result that kept Como fifth in Serie A, the former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder reflected on how far his project has come. «For us, it's a dream come true; we'll take our chances,» he said of hosting United.
It is Como's maiden season in Europe's elite competition, and the campaign so far has been a rollercoaster: the club won its first ever Champions League match by crushing RB Leipzig 4-1 at this very ground, before fumbling a lead for defeat away to Feyenoord. A positive result against United, even a point, would represent another landmark for the Lombardy club, much like the ongoing progress seen in competitions such as the Champions League this season.
How to watch and where the two sides stand
TV coverage in the UK
For viewers in Britain following the action, the match was shown live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, with the game broadcast on TNT Sports 2 and kick-off scheduled for 5:45pm BST. It formed part of a busy midweek of continental football that also included Liverpool's trip to LASK in the same competition.
Champions League standings entering matchday three
Before kick-off, the two clubs were separated by barely anything in the table. United had three points from their first two matches, leaving them in 13th spot in the league phase table, while Como sat 12th, also on three points. Historically, United have fared well against Italian sides — they had lost just two of their last 16 matches against Italian opposition, recording 10 wins in the process — but this season's wider struggles have made every fixture feel precarious for Carrick's side.
With Paz's early strike putting pressure firmly back on Manchester United, the remainder of the night at the Sinigaglia promised to go a long way towards shaping both clubs' hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout stages.