On a weekend billed as a test of young creators, Como handled it with authority. The 2–0 win over Juventus did more than add three points. It showed how a well-coached team can tilt a match from the opening minutes and then close it with control. Nico Paz assisted the first goal early and curled in the second late. The table moved. So did the conversation about what this club can be.
Nothing in Como’s performance felt accidental. Cesc Fàbregas has given his side clear reference points. Out of a 4-2-3-1, Paz starts as the central creator behind the striker, then drifts right to receive on the half-turn and drive inside on his stronger left. The spacing invites quick combinations and third-man runs. When possession is lost, the team snaps into a compact mid-block that protects the center and funnels the ball wide, where fullbacks can duel rather than scramble.
The production matches the plan. Paz has been involved in eight of Como’s nine league goals, either on the final pass or the finish. That volume suggests more than form. It suggests a system designed around his first touch, his ability to see the far-side runner, and his knack for taking late shots from the edge.
The market already tested Como’s resolve. Tottenham explored a summer move near €70 million, about $75 million. Real Madrid retained a buy-back through 2027 and a healthy sell-on. Como refused to blink. That choice reads as confidence in the project, not stubbornness for its own sake.
A plan bigger than one star
Recruitment supports the football. The club invested more than €140 million in the summer, about $150 million, and the pieces fit real roles. Álvaro Morata arrived to be a reference point who links and finishes. Wingers stretch the line so Paz can step into pockets. The double pivot handles traffic, then feeds forward at the first safe window. It looks simple on television because the choices repeat. It is not simple to teach.
Fàbregas deserves credit for rhythm control. Como can slow a game with patient circulation, then release a vertical pass that breaks two lines. They do it without losing their rest-defense shape. Last season proved they could survive their return to the top flight. This autumn hints at a team that can live higher up the table while keeping games tidy.
Ownership and infrastructure matter too. The Hartono family’s backing has been steady rather than splashy, which suits a club still upgrading its home and operations. The profile bumps from famous shareholders helped early. What keeps attention now is the product on the pitch. Como look organized, ambitious, and unafraid of big opponents.
Paz ties the whole thing together. He presses like a midfielder who understands where the next pass wants to go. He rides challenges, wins second balls, and treats space like something to claim, not wait for. If Madrid eventually trigger their option, Como will have created value and competitive credibility. If they do not, the path toward Europe becomes the next rational step.
This is the difference between a moment and a project. A moment is a single night against a giant. A project is repeatable patterns that travel from week to week. Como have the latter. Fàbregas supplies the structure. Paz supplies the edge. The league table is starting to say the same thing.
