Como Equals Champions League Record with 9-1 Rout Against Lens

Italian club Como produced a dominant display on Wednesday evening to defeat Lens 9-1 in France, equaling the record for the most goals scored by a single team in a UEFA Champions League match. Managed by Cesc Fabregas, the team equaled Bayern Munich's milestone against Dinamo Zagreb from 2024 during their remarkable debut European campaign.

The rout began in the seventh minute when Greek forward Tasos Douvikas scored the first of his three goals from close range. Nico Paz added a third shortly before halftime, and captain Lucas da Cunha extended the lead less than two minutes into the second half. Marc-Oliver Kempf, substitute Mattia Liberali, Martin Baturina, and 18-year-old Matteo Papaccioli also found the back of the net in the emphatic victory.

Lens managed a response when Ruben Aguilar scored from a corner with a well-struck volley, but Como remained relentless throughout the second half. Papaccioli added the ninth goal in stoppage time, a strike that was initially ruled offside before a video assistant referee check confirmed the goal, sealing the biggest away win in Champions League history.

The victory lifts Como to fourth place in the league phase table with three wins and a loss in their first four European matches. Former Manchester City player Nedum Onuoha praised the team's rapid development, noting their incredible journey from Serie D in the 2018-19 season to competing among Europe's most exciting clubs following a takeover by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono.

In other Champions League action on Wednesday, Liverpool saw their perfect start to the European campaign come to an end following a 3-2 defeat against Fenerbahce in Istanbul. Despite taking the lead twice through goals from Trey Nyoni and Alexander Isak, Andoni Iraola's side suffered from defensive errors and late goals from Archie Brown and Vedat Muriqi.

Elsewhere in sports, wrestling fans experienced a rare Wednesday Night Wars crossover as WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite went head-to-head on the same night. WWE stacked the NXT card with major appearances from John Cena, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes after moving its broadcast slot due to election coverage, while AEW countered with its annual Blood and Guts event featuring dual steel cage matches in Jacksonville, Florida.