Como’s 9-1 victory at Lens on Wednesday was one of the Champions League’s most remarkable results, with Nico Paz again at the centre of an outstanding performance.
The Stade Bollaert-Delelis witnessed a night neither set of players is likely to forget. Lens, ninth in Ligue 1 after four wins, one draw and four defeats, had scored 16 goals and conceded 13 before the game. Their 2026/27 campaign has not been poor, although it has fallen short of last season’s second-place finish under Pierre Sage, who has since left for Crystal Palace.
Yannick Cahuzac’s side have allowed opponents opportunities this season, but the scale of their defeat will still have stunned the club.
For Como and manager Cesc Fabregas, it was a statement result. Fabregas, one of the outstanding players of his generation, has taken Como into their first Champions League campaign while keeping them in contention in Serie A. I Lariani are currently fourth, two points behind second place and five points adrift of leaders Lazio.
Their dismantling of Lens has placed the “little team from Lake Como” firmly under the spotlight. The 9-1 scoreline was the joint-biggest winning margin in Champions League history and only the second match in the competition in which a team has scored nine goals, after Bayern Munich’s 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb.
Tasos Douvikas attracted much of the attention after scoring a hat-trick and providing an assist, while Champions League debutant Matteo Papaccioli completed the scoring 30 minutes after coming on.
Yet Paz remains the player who makes Como function. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has been given responsibility for succeeding Lionel Messi as Argentina’s number 10 and plays with the authority of a far more experienced footballer.
His development has been encouraged by Fabregas, who allows him the freedom to express himself. Paz had already become the second-youngest Argentinian after Messi to score in the Champions League against Man Utd, in a performance that earned him player-of-the-match honours.
He followed that with another outstanding display against Lens, receiving a 9.3 Flashscore rating. His two assists took his total to five in this season’s competition, more than any other player. His four attempts on goal were also the most by a Como player in the 26/27 Champions League.
Only Lens’ Ruben Aguilar matched Paz’s 16 passes into the final third, although Paz’s 73.5% passing accuracy was the lowest among Como players. He recorded seven touches in the opposition penalty area, more than twice as many as any Lens player, and completed three of five dribbles.
Paz also won seven of his 15 one-on-one duels, more than anyone else, and won all of his tackles. Only Thorgan Hazard, with three, was fouled more often than Paz, who drew two fouls.
Real Madrid may regret allowing him to leave. The club have an €80 million buy-back clause, exercisable only by Real Madrid in summer 2027, but Arda Guler is among the options already available to them. With Paz’s progress accelerating, remaining second choice elsewhere may make little sense if Como continue to thrive.
If he avoids injury, 26/27 could be Paz’s season. Matches against current Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and Fabregas’ former club Barcelona at the start of the new year could further establish his reputation.