sport news Como are making a splash in Serie B with help from football's own A-listers trends now
As the European holiday destination of choice for Hollywood royalty, including George Clooney and Ben Affleck to name but a few, Lake Como has never had any problems in enticing global stars to its shores.
The same cannot be said for its football team. A modest outfit that has spent most of its existence rotating between stints in Serie B and C, the side occupying the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on the banks of the water have historically been anything but glitz and glamour.
Beyond World Cup winners Marco Tardelli and Pietro Vierchowod gracing the club in the seventies, there are few names to stir the memory among Como 1907’s alumni. A best ever finish of sixth in Serie A in 1950 is the height of their achievements. Ambition has been tempered by experience. Two bankruptcies in the space of two decades will do that to a club.
Serie B Como are causing a stir as they look to make their way back into Italy's top flight
The project, both on and off the pitch, has attracted top professionals, such as Cesc Fabregas
That is no longer the case. The past summer has seen former Arsenal and Chelsea icon Cesc Fabregas join the club, which was bought in 2019 by the Darjum Group, an Indonesian tobacco conglomerate.
Thierry Henry has invested, too, and is now a figure in the boardroom. Aspiration has arrived in abundance.
‘More often than not people talk about Como because of the town, and how magnificent it is, how great it is – the lake, the houses,’ Henry tells Sportsmail.
‘I know for a fact the likes of Benoit Cauet finished his career here, Tardelli played here. It used to be a good club that used to develop a lot of youngsters.’
The hope is that it can be that again. The development of the club, both on and off the pitch, has been placed in the hands of Dennis Wise. The former Chelsea captain has returned to football after his self-imposed hiatus to take up the post of CEO.
His work has already helped deliver a new training ground, on which the club spent €1million. They are looking to acquire a further two-acre plot in order to house the men’s, women’s and academy set ups all at the same base.
An ambitious project launched by the owners has seen the club purchase a new training base
There is considerable effort being dedicated to improving the stadium, too. Negotiations are ongoing on securing a 99-year lease for their dilapidated home, which currently accommodates fewer than 5,000 fans at each game owing to safety measures.
Securing it would allow for some much-needed renovations, but the owners are eyeing more than a lick of paint. If the preferred plans are approved, there is talk of a host-city bid for Euro 2032, should Italy’s proposal to host the tournament succeed.
‘There’s a lot of opportunities here that can really
