Como's Argentine midfielder Nicolas Paz celebrated scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Como 1907 and Manchester United at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in Como, northern Italy on October 21, 2026. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP)
Manchester United faced a shocking 4-1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. This loss puts more pressure on manager Michael Carrick after yet another disappointing European match.
United's defense struggled again just eight days after they allowed a goal in the first minute against Atletico Madrid. Como took the lead in just 118 seconds with a goal from Argentine playmaker Nico Paz.
This early goal made Manchester United the first English team to concede within the opening two minutes in back-to-back major European matches. This adds to an unwanted record for the club.
The result showed how different the two teams are right now. When Manchester United last won the Champions League in 2008, Como was playing in Serie D. But on this night, the Italian side dominated and took advantage of United's defensive weaknesses.
Paz was the star of the match, scoring twice and assisting Tasos Douvikas for Como’s third goal. Jacobo Ramon then added a fourth with a strong header, capping off a memorable night for the home team.
At one point, Manchester United looked like they might match their biggest-ever European defeat, a 5-0 loss to Portuguese side Sporting in 1964. Carrick tried to change things up by making several substitutions during the game.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was taken off for Joshua Zirkzee midway through the second half. Matheus Cunha and Andrey Santos, two signings worth a total of £110 million, were also pulled off at half-time.
United finally got a consolation goal in stoppage time. Zirkzee beat the offside trap and scored from a cross by fellow substitute Amad Diallo. But this late goal did little to lift the spirits of the traveling fans as Como celebrated a big win.
This defeat puts Carrick under more scrutiny. Manchester United needs to respond quickly to get their European campaign back on track.
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