Champions League Preview: Como vs Manchester United
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| Como vs Man Utd Champions League preview |
Manchester United travel to face Como for the very first time as Marcus Rashford eyes his 50th Champions League appearance and Assane Diao looks to continue his record-breaking start for Fabregas' history-making Italian side.
Como vs Man Utd head-to-head, team news and win probability...
After a dismal start to the season, Michael Carrick and his Manchester United side face mounting pressure to produce a statement result against Como in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
On the other touchline, Cesc Fabregas has masterminded a remarkable rise at the Italian club, who are aiming to become the first Serie A team since Lazio in 1999/2000 to win their opening two home matches in the European Cup/Champions League.
United Stuck in Six-Game Winless Rut
Manchester United's away form in Europe has been dismal, managing just one victory in their last 10 Champions League trips away from home, with three draws and six defeats. Their defensive struggles are also glaring, with only one clean sheet in their last 15 UCL matches - a 2-0 win over Villarreal in November 2021.
The current six-game winless streak across all competitions, with three draws and three losses, has only increased the pressure on Carrick, with speculation already mounting that the club's hierarchy could consider a change if results fail to improve soon.
While sacking another manager so soon is unlikely to go down well with a United fanbase that has seen this cycle repeat far too often, the board's stance in this case is at least understandable.
It marks the club's worst start to a season since 1986 under Ron Atkinson, and it feels as though those around the first team thought the job was finished after securing a Champions League return last season. In reality, that is when the real work was only just beginning.
Defensive Blow as Yoro Sidelined
A 4-0 victory over Sabah was hardly cause for celebration, with the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in their previous Champions League outing offering a truer reflection of where United currently stand.
Carrick may well highlight that his side carved out four big chances in Madrid without converting any of them - the most they have created in a Champions League game since facing Galatasaray in September 2012.
That defeat marked United's sixth loss in their last nine Champions League matches, with just one win and two draws in that run, and if creating chances is the only positive the club can cling to, it is a worrying sign.
Leny Yoro will miss this clash after being sent off for a professional foul in the 74th minute against Atletico.
Can Rashford Mark Milestone in Style?
If selected, Marcus Rashford would make his 50th appearance in the Champions League - 34 for Manchester United, 11 for Barcelona and four for Aston Villa.
Across his first 49 games in the competition, Rashford has netted 17 times, with only Harry Kane (34), Raheem Sterling (20) and Andy Cole (18) scoring more among English players in their opening 50 Champions League outings.
Como have undergone a huge transformation since Fabregas took over, particularly when it comes to their squad.
In their first two Champions League games, not a single Italian-born player featured in their starting line-ups - only the second time that has ever happened in the competition's history, after Sheriff Tiraspol in 2021/22.
Diao Spearheads Como Attack
While some locals may not like to admit it, they must be relishing the journey under the Spaniard, who has led them to levels of success the club has never seen before.
Trevoh Chalobah faces a late fitness check to see if he can feature, but one player who is available and who Fabregas will be counting on to deliver the goals for victory is Assane Diao.
Aged 21 years and 37 days, he became the youngest African player to score in each of his first two appearances in the competition, against RB Leipzig and Feyenoord.
MATCHDAY ⚽️ 🆚 Manchester United 🏆 UEFA Champions League 🕓 18:45 CEST 🏟️ Stadio G. Sinigaglia #ForzaComo #ComoManUtd #UCL https://t.co/rwZpkc3bLT
— Como1907 (@Como_1907) October 21, 2026
His impressive start also made him only the third player to score for an Italian club in his first two Champions League games, following Alessandro Del Piero for Juventus in 1995 and Edinson Cavani for Napoli in 2011.
History Favours English Clubs Against Italian Opposition
It is set to be a stern examination for the Italian side, with recent Champions League history not on their side.
In the last six meetings between English and Italian clubs since the start of the 2025/26 season, Premier League teams have come out on top five times, with Atalanta's 2-1 win over Chelsea the sole exception.
This will be the first ever meeting between Como and Manchester United, and while Carrick and Fabregas have never faced each other as managers, they did meet as players in the competition back in 2008/09.
On that occasion, United overcame Arsenal over two legs in the semi-final to book a final showdown with Barcelona in Rome.
There is no such prize on offer for the winners this time, but Carrick would no doubt take the same result.
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