Como complete 90-day Sinigaglia overhaul to host Champions League debut at home

Como will play their historic Champions League debut at Stadio Sinigaglia after completing a sweeping renovation of the ground in roughly 90 days, the club confirmed ahead of their league-phase opener against RB Leipzig on Thursday. Without the upgrades, all four of their home fixtures would have been relocated 200 kilometres away to Sassuolo’s ground.

The Lariani secured a top-four finish in Serie A last season, pipping AC Milan and Juventus to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition for the first time. But when the final whistle blew in May, Sinigaglia did not meet UEFA’s stadium requirements, and the clock immediately started on an off-pitch project as demanding as anything Cesc Fabregas’s squad would face on it.

The work carried out over the summer earned the stadium UEFA Category 4 status. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the renovations included a near-complete rebuild of the Curva Ovest, upgraded floodlights, improved media facilities, better toilets and enhanced security systems. The pitch was also fully relaid, widened by two metres and re-turfed with a new-generation hybrid grass — a specific request from head coach Fabregas to support his possession-based style of play.

“To meet UEFA requirements, renovation work on the stadium has been completed, including the construction of a new stand and the enhancement of infrastructure, security systems and operational facilities,” the club said in a statement. “Sinigaglia has been the home of Como 1907 for almost a century. Its role in the city and in the life of the club makes the opportunity to play these matches here particularly special.”

The club also thanked supporters for their patience throughout the process: “Como 1907 would like to thank everyone who helped make this possible, as well as our fans for their constant support.”

On the pitch, Como have reinforced significantly ahead of their European adventure, adding Moise Kean, Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sanchez and former loanee Álvaro Morata to the squad. Fabregas, who played for the club before taking the dugout role, will now lead them out in the Champions League at the ground where the club has played for nearly a century.

Beyond Leipzig, Como’s home fixtures in the league phase also include Manchester United, AEK Athens and back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain — a remarkable schedule for a club that was playing in Serie C as recently as 2021. The Djarum Group, the Indonesian conglomerate that took over in 2019, has overseen a rapid ascent through the Italian football pyramid, and Thursday’s match at a newly upgraded Sinigaglia marks the most significant milestone yet.