“On a par with the top clubs”: Como’s “super-team” makes Champions League history

"On a par with Europe's giants," read the headline in Gazzetta dello Sport: "The first away win is a sublime symphony, with no possibility of being interrupted: on the contrary, it has a consistency that is cruel to opponents."

The 9-1 (3-0) at RC Lens would go down as a "masterpiece" in "the annals of Italian football", the paper continued. It called the result the "product of class" and Como "on a par with Europe's top clubs".

Italian newspapers joined in the praise. Corriere dello Sport wrote of "another incredible chapter" in the Lombards' unique "fairy tale". Tuttosport raved about a "sensational" Como: "A story of champions: the Larians are rewriting the history of the competition."

Beyond Italy, the emphatic win drew attention. England's Sun wrote of the "super-team" from Lake Como, while Spain's Marca saw a "legendary night". In France, however, praise came with harsh criticism of RC Lens and coach Yannick Cahuzac. "Como sweep through Lens like a hurricane," headlined L'Équipe: "The Lens players fell short of expectations, while their coach let them down. This historic defeat will leave its mark."