Nico Paz celebrates Como’s opening goal at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on Oct 21, 2026.
Como will count on Nico Paz, Maxence Caqueret and Tasos Douvikas to keep their Champions League hopes alive against RC Lens, who field Florian Thauvin and Franjo Ivanovic.
Kick‑off is set for 20:00 GMT (21:00 CET) at Lens’s Stade Bollaert‑Delelis.
Follow the live action and build‑up for this clash and the Porto‑Napoli duel on our Liveblog.
Cesc Fàbregas’s side made a splash in their debut Champions League campaign, thrashing RB Leipzig and Manchester United 4‑1 at home, then falling 3‑2 away to Feyenoord. They’ve secured five straight wins across all competitions, but travel to France without Moise Kean, Trevoh Chalobah, Assane Diao, Jesus Rodriguez and Jayden Addai. For my money, their early dominance marks them as a genuine threat.
They’ve secured five straight wins across all competitions, but travel to France without Moise Kean, Trevoh Chalobah, Assane Diao, Jesus Rodriguez and Jayden Addai.
That leaves in‑form Douvikas as the lone out‑and‑out striker, supported by Paz, Caqueret and a more advanced Lucas Da Cunha, while midfield duties fall to Maxi Perrone and Luis Milla.
Martin Baturina sits out to stay fresh ahead of Saturday’s Inter showdown.
Lens opened the group with a 3‑2 away win over Slavia Prague, then slipped to 2‑0 against Sporting CP and 3‑0 to Club Brugge.
They sit ninth in Ligue 1 after a 1‑0 loss at Lille, snapping a three‑match winning streak.
Surprisingly, their sole clean sheet this season came in the 1‑0 French Super Cup triumph over Paris Saint‑Germain on Aug 16.
Familiar faces return, notably ex‑Udinese forward Florian Thauvin and former Venezia/Sampdoria midfielder Michael Cuisance.
Centre‑forward Ivanovic, a promising Croatian international, is available, while Odsonne Edouard, Abdallah Sima and Ismaelo Ganiou remain sidelined.
Lens: Risser; Antonio, Baidoo, Udol; Aguilar, Haidara, Cuisance, Skoras; Thauvin, Hazard; Ivanovic
Lens bench: Gurtner, Gorgelin, Celik, Bulatovic, Sotoca, Titraoui, Todibo, Abdulhamid, Gradit, Kadile, Sagnan, Mesloub Soares
Como: Butez; Yan Couto, Ramon, Kempf, Valle; Milla, Perrone; Da Cunha, Nico Paz, Caqueret; Douvikas
Como bench: Ginelli, Sanchez, Dossena, Kaiki Bruno, Baturina, Ricci, Smolcic, Liberali, Grilli, Papaccioli
Ref: Saggi (NOR)
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