Como make Champions League history with record 9-1 win at Lens

Como inflicted the heaviest European defeat in Lens’ history by thrashing the French club 9-1 in the Champions League league phase on Wednesday.

Cesc Fabregas’ side produced a dominant attacking display at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, scoring three times before half-time and continuing to exploit the spaces in the Lens defence after the break.

Saudi Arabia international Saud Abdulhamid came on for Lens at the start of the second half after beginning the match on the substitutes’ bench.

Como’s three-goal advantage at the interval marked the first time a French team had conceded three goals at home in the first half of a Champions League match since Monaco’s defeat by Borussia Dortmund in 2018, according to French network RMC.

Lens briefly responded when Ruben Aguilar scored in the 65th minute, but the goal did little to change the course of the match. Martin Baturina restored Como’s four-goal advantage just four minutes later, before the visitors continued to add to Lens’ misery.

The final score placed Lens among the heaviest losers in Champions League history. Previous major defeats in the competition include Liverpool’s 8-0 victory over Besiktas in 2007, Real Madrid’s 8-0 win against Malmo in 2015, Bayern Munich’s 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in 2024 and Paris Saint-Germain’s 7-0 win over Brest in 2025.

According to Opta statistics, Como became the first team to score nine goals away from home in the history of the Champions League. Lens, meanwhile, became the first side to concede nine goals in a home match in the competition.

Lens are also only the second French club to concede nine goals in a European match. Strasbourg previously lost 10-2 to MTK Budapest in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in October 1961.

The defeat was only the second time Lens had conceded nine goals in a match in any competition. Their previous such loss came in a 9-1 defeat by Marseille in April 1940.

The result leaves Lens with three points from four matches, dropping them to 33rd in the league-phase table and further away from the top 24 places that qualify for the play-off round. Como moved up to fourth on nine points.

Lens manager Yannick Cahuzac is now under increased pressure. He succeeded German coach Dino Toppmoller, who was dismissed after only six matches in charge. Cahuzac has recorded three wins and five defeats in his eight games as manager, with the heavy loss to Como adding to concerns over the team’s situation.

Nico Paz pays tribute to Jesus de Miguel

The match also featured an emotional celebration from Como forward Nico Paz, who revealed a shirt bearing an image of the late Tenerife player Jesus de Miguel after scoring his side’s third goal in the 40th minute.

Paz finished a counter-attack with a left-footed strike before lifting the shirt in tribute to De Miguel, who recently died after colliding with an Andorra goalkeeper during a match between the teams.

The gesture carried additional significance for Paz, who was born on the Spanish island of Tenerife while his father, Argentine defender Pablo Paz, was playing for the local club. The Como player used the celebration to honour both the city where he was born and the late footballer.