Cesc Fàbregas: “I Can’t Sleep Thinking About PSG” After Como’s 9-1 Champions League Rout of Lens

“I forgot we were playing PSG, because if I think about it, I can’t sleep.” That was Cesc Fàbregas, deadpan, when asked about his Como side’s next Champions League opponent after a night that already made history, Football365 reported. The Lombardy club had just dismantled RC Lens 9-1 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Wednesday, November 4, the heaviest defeat in Lens’s European history, and the Spanish coach was in no mood to pretend the January fixture ahead doesn’t exist.

Como host Paris Saint-Germain at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on January 20, 2027, a match Fàbregas has clearly been trying not to dwell on. The joke landed because the respect underneath it is real: PSG sit atop the league-phase standings as double European champions, and Fàbregas knows exactly what Luis Enrique’s side can do.

What Happened at Bollaert-Delelis

The scoreline says it all: 9-1. MadeInFoot described it as the worst humiliation in RC Lens’s Champions League history, and Sports Orange noted the match will “trot around in their heads for a long time” for the Sang et Or. Como were technically superior across the pitch and rolled over their French opponents, a performance that confirmed the ambitions of a club that has become one of the competition’s genuine sensations this season.

Como now sit fourth in the league-phase table, three points behind PSG, according to Sports Orange. The Italian side, back in Serie A since 2024 and currently fourth domestically, has lost only two matches all season — both away from home. At the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, they are unbeaten, with a home record of five wins and one draw across all competitions. Manchester United and RB Leipzig both left the lakeside stadium with 4-1 defeats, Sports Orange reported.

Fàbregas’s Full Quote on the PSG Fixture

Speaking to Canal+ after the Lens match, Fàbregas delivered the line that set the tone: “Little by little, we have to create our situation. I forgot we were going to play PSG, because if I think about it, I don’t sleep.” Foot Mercato noted the remark says a lot about the respect the Catalan coach holds for the Paris club.

Cesc Fàbregas: "I Can't Sleep Thinking About PSG" After Como's 9-1 Champions League Rout of Lens
Photo: Foot Mercato

In comments carried by Sofoot and Sky Sports, Fàbregas explained that when he saw the last two fixtures were PSG and Barcelona, he concluded Como needed to bank as many points as possible immediately. “They are at a superior level, but there are still a lot of matches before we get there,” he said. Barcelona follow on January 27 — a trip to Fàbregas’s former club.

Why PSG Are the Benchmark Right Now

Sports Orange detailed PSG’s recent Champions League form: a 6-0 demolition of Villarreal, a 4-2 win over Barcelona, and a 4-2 victory at Manchester City. As the double reigning European champions and current league-phase leaders, Enrique’s team has left no one indifferent this season.

FABREGAS: “THE ATTITUDE WAS THE SAME!” 🤔 Lens 1-9 Como 🏆 Champions League

MadeInFoot framed the January 20 clash as “another pair of sleeves” entirely for Fàbregas’s men, with Enrique’s “steamroller” likely to do damage to the teammates of Nico Paz. The kickoff is set for 9 p.m. local time in Como on January 20, 2027.

Como’s Rise Under Fàbregas

Three years into their Serie A return, Como have become one of the league’s sensations, playing with a precise tactical identity under Fàbregas. Sports Orange highlighted players like Nico Paz as emblematic of the team’s quality. The 9-1 win over Lens, however emphatic, came against an opponent offering little resistance — Sofoot noted Fàbregas himself felt a certain boredom at the lack of adversity on Wednesday night, which is precisely why the PSG and Barcelona fixtures matter: they are the real tests of whether Como’s European status is genuine.

Cesc Fàbregas: "I Can't Sleep Thinking About PSG" After Como's 9-1 Champions League Rout of Lens
Photo: Sports

What Happens Next for Como

Before the PSG showdown, Lens must bounce back immediately, hosting Marseille on Sunday in Ligue 1’s 10th matchday, Sports Orange reported.

The January 20 match at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, where Como remain unbeaten all season, will be a real test for Fàbregas’s side.

Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief

Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.

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