Como Make Champions League History With 9-1 Rout of Lens
Cesc Fàbregas’ Como have entered the record books after producing one of the most remarkable results in modern football. The Italian side overwhelmed Lens 9-1 in the Champions League league phase on 4 November 2026, becoming only the second team in the competition’s modern era to score nine goals in a single match.
The victory also placed Como among a tiny group of clubs to win a Champions League fixture by an eight-goal margin. While the scoreline was extraordinary, the result carried added historical weight: according to Opta, Como were the first team to score nine away from home in the competition since Feyenoord defeated Olympiacos 9-0 in the European Cup in September 1971.
For a club led by former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Fàbregas, the performance was a striking statement. Como’s emphatic win showcased the attacking potential of his side and offered a memorable example of how quickly a Champions League match can turn into a record-breaking occasion.
Douvikas Leads Como’s Goal-Scoring Show
Greek striker Tasos Douvikas was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick as Lens struggled to contain Como’s attack. His achievement placed him among a select group of Greek players to score three goals in a Champions League match.
Douvikas became the third Greek footballer to reach that milestone, following Kostas Mitroglou, who scored a hat-trick for Olympiacos against Anderlecht in October 2013, and Vangelis Pavlidis, who achieved the feat for Benfica against Barcelona in January 2025.
A hat-trick is a landmark for any forward, but accomplishing one during a nine-goal away victory adds a special dimension. Douvikas’ performance will be remembered not just for the number of goals, but for its place in one of the most lopsided results in Champions League history.
Only Bayern Had Scored Nine in the Modern Champions League
The Champions League adopted its modern identity in 1992, and nine-goal team totals remain exceptionally rare. Before Como’s win, Bayern Munich were the only team to score nine in a match under the competition’s current format. The German giants defeated Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in September 2024, a game that set a new benchmark for high-scoring Champions League football.
Como’s 9-1 result is therefore part of a very short list. It also highlights the difference between an unusual high-scoring match and a true historical outlier: many teams have scored five or six, but reaching nine requires an exceptional combination of attacking efficiency, sustained pressure and a defence unable to regain control.
For supporters assessing Como’s progress, the result is an exciting sign of what the team can produce at its best. However, one record-breaking night does not automatically predict future success. The challenge for Fàbregas will be to turn this attacking display into consistent performances across the league phase and domestic campaign.
Champions League’s Biggest Wins by an Eight-Goal Margin
Three matches have now ended with a difference of eight goals in the modern Champions League: Liverpool’s 8-0 win over Beşiktaş in 2007, Real Madrid’s 8-0 victory against Malmö in 2015 and Como’s 9-1 demolition of Lens in 2026.
Liverpool Set the Standard Against Beşiktaş
Liverpool were the first club to score eight goals in a single Champions League match, beating Beşiktaş 8-0 at Anfield on 6 November 2007. Peter Crouch scored twice, while Yossi Benayoun claimed a hat-trick in a dominant display.
The scale of Liverpool’s second-half performance was particularly notable. They scored six after the break, becoming the first side to manage that feat in a Champions League match. Lyon later matched the six-goal second-half total during a 7-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in 2011.
Ronaldo and Benzema Shine for Real Madrid
Eight years after Liverpool’s landmark result, Rafael Benítez oversaw another 8-0 victory, this time as Real Madrid manager. Madrid overwhelmed Malmö in December 2015, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring four goals and Karim Benzema adding three.
The match remains unique in Champions League history because two players from the same team each scored a hat-trick. Ronaldo’s four-goal contribution also helped him reach 11 goals in the group stage that season. He finished the 2015-16 campaign with 16 Champions League goals, as Madrid went on to lift the trophy after beating Atlético Madrid on penalties in the final.
Seven-Goal Victories: A Record of European Dominance
Before Como’s result, a number of clubs had recorded victories by seven goals. The list includes some of Europe’s most familiar names and stretches across more than two decades:
Juventus 7-0 Olympiacos (10 December 2003); Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Prague (23 October 2007); Marseille 7-0 MSK Žilina (3 November 2010); Valencia 7-0 Genk (23 November 2011); and Bayern Munich 7-0 Basel (13 March 2012).
The record continued with Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 BATE Borisov (21 October 2014), Bayern Munich 7-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (11 March 2015), Barcelona 7-0 Celtic (13 September 2016), and two Liverpool victories: 7-0 against Maribor on 17 October 2017 and 7-0 against Spartak Moscow on 6 December that year.
Manchester City also joined the group with 7-0 wins over Schalke in March 2019 and Leipzig in March 2023. Bayern’s 9-2 defeat of Dinamo Zagreb in September 2024 and Paris Saint-Germain’s 7-0 victory over Brest in February 2025 added more recent examples of overwhelming European performances.
What Como’s Record-Breaking Result Could Mean
For fans looking ahead, Como’s victory creates plenty of interest around the club’s next fixtures, including their Serie A meeting with Cagliari and a later league encounter with Marseille. The key question is whether the Lens performance marks a new level for Fàbregas’ side or remains a spectacular one-off.
Any football prediction about Como’s next steps should account for both sides of the story. Scoring nine goals demonstrates attacking quality and confidence, but maintaining that standard requires consistency, squad depth and strong defensive organisation. Opponents are also likely to study the match closely and adjust their approach.
Whatever follows, the 9-1 win has already secured its place in Champions League history. Como have joined an exclusive list of record-setters, Douvikas has delivered a career-defining hat-trick, and Fàbregas’ team have given supporters a night that will be discussed long after the final whistle.
