Como 1907: From Bankruptcy in Serie D to the Historic Dream of Qualifying for the Champions League in Italy

This club went from bankruptcy in 2016 to a meteoric rise with foreign investment, Como 1907 reached the Champions League for the first time.

Como 1907 qualified for the Champions League

Italian football is living a story longed for by many clubs that wandered in the lower leagues. Como 1907, a club that was on the brink of extinction just ten years ago, reached the Champions League after an unforgettable season. Under the leadership of Cesc Fàbregas, the Lombard team secured fourth place in Serie A, taking advantage of Milan's fall and sparking a historic celebration at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

The 4-1 victory against Cremonese was the crowning achievement of a process that seemed impossible. Jesús Rodríguez opened the scoring, Douvikas extended the lead, and despite Bonazzoli's goal, the expulsion of three local players cleared the way. Lucas Da Cunha, with two goals in the final stretch, sealed the victory that confirmed the European dream.

From bankruptcy to the top European club competition

In 2016, the club went bankrupt and was on the verge of disappearing. An Italian company rescued it and forced it to start from Serie D. Three years later, in 2019, an investment group from Indonesia appeared with millions of dollars that accelerated their growth. In 2022, the project added renowned figures: Fàbregas as coach and Thierry Henry as a shareholder. Dennis Wise, a Chelsea legend, also got involved as the general manager and shareholder, convincing world champions to join the adventure.

The arrival of economic support and success

The financial backing came from brothers Robert Budi and Michael Bambang Hartono, owners of the Djarum Group conglomerate and among the richest people on the planet according to Forbes. They devised the plan that transformed the lakeside club into a phenomenon, with the ambition of placing it in the European elite.

The rise was meteoric: in 2019, they left Serie D, in 2021, they were already in Serie B, and in 2023, they achieved their return to Serie A after two decades. Today, Como is preparing to debut in the Champions League, a leap that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. From bankruptcy to the continental summit, the Lombard team demonstrates that with investment, vision, and passion, footballing miracles can be built in a short period of time.