RB Leipzig experienced a harsh awakening upon their return to European competition, suffering a 4–1 defeat against Champions League debutants Como 1907 at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. The result leaves the Bundesliga side without a point to start their league phase campaign and heaps immediate pressure on manager Martín Demichelis following a second heavy loss.
Playing in front of 11,000 spectators at the sold-out venue on the shores of Lake Como, the Italian side controlled proceedings from the opening whistle. Cesc Fàbregas’s team established early dominance in possession and territory, catching Leipzig off guard with their high-intensity pressing and tactical organization. The defeat compounds a difficult week for the Saxony club, who fell 3–1 to Werder Bremen in domestic play just days prior.
How Como Unpicked Leipzig’s Defense
The breakthrough arrived in the 15th minute following a chaotic sequence in the penalty area. Following a defensive clearance attempt by DFB international Ridle Baku, Como midfielder Martin Baturina pounced on the loose ball to score from close range, registering the first Champions League goal in the club’s history. Baturina orchestrated much of the attacking danger for the hosts throughout the opening period.
Leipzig mounted a brief offensive spell shortly before halftime, producing a notable double chance in the 36th and 37th minutes. Como goalkeeper Jean Butez denied Andrija Maksimović with a sharp stop on a 14-meter curling effort, before summer arrival Marc Guiu sent a close-range header wide of the target. Those missed opportunities proved costly almost immediately.
In the 38th minute, Baturina unlocked the visitors’ backline with a precise through-ball to Tasos Douvikas. The Greek striker easily outpaced defender Castello Lukeba before slotting past the goalkeeper to double the advantage, sending Como into the interval with a comfortable 2–0 lead. At that stage, statistics showed Leipzig managed just 40 percent possession in the first 45 minutes.
Second-Half Collapses and Consolation
Just nine minutes into the second half, Como extended their lead to 3–0 when Assane Diao broke free down the right flank. The forward drove into the penalty area and finished from a tight angle past goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt, who was left exposed by his retreating defense.
Leipzig offered a brief response four minutes later when Maksimović converted a spectacular 18-meter strike to narrow the deficit to 3–1. Como substitute and captain Lucas Da Cunha missed an open chance to add a fourth shortly after, firing wide from close range following another rapid counter-attack.
The final blow arrived in the 90th minute when Máximo Perrone capped off the evening, sealing a 4–1 scoreline that reflected Como’s absolute superiority. Speaking to DAZN after the final whistle, Leipzig defender David Raum made no attempts to sugarcoat the team’s performance.
“Es fühlt sich echt kacke an grad,” Raum told DAZN, acknowledging that the squad had taken a severe beating on the night.
Rising Scrutiny on Martín Demichelis
The defeat places manager Martín Demichelis under intense scrutiny. Having taken over a side carrying high ambitions, the Argentine coach demanded a strong reaction following the weekend stumble in Bremen, but his tactical setup failed to disrupt the Italian hosts.
The parallels to previous European struggles are stark for the German outfit. During their most recent Champions League campaign, Leipzig also failed to pick up a point on the opening matchday, ultimately managing only a single victory across eight league-phase fixtures before exiting the tournament.
Fàbregas’s side demonstrated tactical maturity, defensive discipline, and ruthless efficiency on the counter-attack to punish every defensive lapse.
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