RC Lens conceded nine goals at home to Como on Wednesday night, becoming the first French club to suffer a nine-goal home defeat in the Champions League, as the Serie A side romped to a 9-1 victory in matchday four at Stade Bollaert. France 24 reported that the eight-goal margin equals the two largest defeats in the competition’s history, while lefigaro.fr described the night as a nightmare for the Sang et Or, who had hoped to redeem themselves at home after a frustrating 1-0 derby loss to Lille days earlier.
Lens had already stumbled against Sporting Portugal and Club Bruges in the league phase and lost the derby du Nord to Lille on Friday, leaving the club desperate for points with a playoff place in sight. Instead, the Italians, fourth in Serie A and boasting the best defense in the Italian championship, dismantled the hosts in a performance lefigaro.fr called technically excellent, with Lens offering no aggression, no revolt and invisible leaders.
How the nine goals came at Bollaert
Como opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Anastasios Douvikas pounced on a quickly taken corner, alone in front of Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser. The second goal, in the 32nd minute, was a collective work of art: goalkeeper Jean Butez started the move, Lucas Da Cunha filtered the ball to Nico Paz, the Argentine found Alex Valle on the left, and Valle squared for Douvikas to finish. Paz then added a third on the stroke of halftime with a powerful strike from distance after Risser had twice denied him earlier, and France 24 noted Lens trailed 3-0 down at the break.
Da Cunha made it 4-0 in the 47th minute after a one-two with Paz. Then came three goals in nine minutes: Kempf in the 53rd, Douvikas completing his hat-trick in the 57th, and youngster Mattia Liberali in the 62nd. Ruben Aguilar pulled one back for Lens in the 65th with a volley from a set piece, but Baturina scored an eighth in the 69th and substitute Papaccioli sealed the rout in stoppage time.
Paz and Douvikas run riot for Como
Nico Paz was the architect of the rout, finishing with one goal and two assists, and France 24 called him an unceasing danger throughout. Douvikas scored three times, giving Como a stranglehold on the game from the opening minutes. Lens had chances early — Florian Thauvin was the first to shoot in the second minute, Matthieu Udol headed wide in the 14th, and a penalty was disallowed in the 17th after Maxence Caqueret was judged to have blocked the ball with his chest — but after that the hosts faded. Substitutes Mezian Mesloub and Saud Abdulhamid changed nothing as Lens slipped completely out of the match, France 24 reported.
Paz also paid tribute to Jesus de Miguel, the footballer who died after a collision on the pitch at Tenerife on Monday, lefigaro.fr reported; Paz had played for the Canary Islands club.
The records this defeat ties — and the one it breaks
France 24 noted that the eight-goal margin matches the two heaviest defeats in Champions League history: Real Madrid’s 8-0 win over Malmö in 2015 and Liverpool’s 8-0 victory against Besiktas in 2007. But Lens went one further — no French club had ever conceded nine goals at home in the competition, making this a first in the club’s European history. It is also the widest defeat ever suffered by a French team in the Champions League.
An emptying stadium and a second-half collapse
As the goals piled up, Stade Bollaert began to empty from the hour mark, and parts of the crowd sang “Olé” as Como passed the ball around, France 24 reported. The attitude of the players in the second half, the outlet added, could leave lasting traces.
Four days until the Marseille derby
Lens now turn back to domestic football, facing Marseille in Ligue 1 in four days. With the Champions League campaign in tatters after losses to Sporting Portugal, Club Bruges and now Como, the derby takes on added weight as the club looks to regroup.
Questions readers are asking
Is 9-1 one of the biggest defeats in Champions League history? No. France 24 reports the largest winning margins remain Real Madrid’s 8-0 over Malmö in 2015 and Liverpool’s 8-0 over Besiktas in 2007. Lens’s 9-1 loss ties the eight-goal margin but stands as the first time a French club has conceded nine at home in the competition.
Who scored for Como? Anastasios Douvikas netted a hat-trick (8th, 32nd, 57th minutes), Nico Paz, Lucas Da Cunha, Kempf, Mattia Liberali, Baturina and Papaccioli completed the nine. Ruben Aguilar scored Lens’s only goal in the 65th minute.
The club return to Ligue 1 action in four days against Marseille, with their Champions League campaign effectively ended after defeats to Sporting Portugal, Club Bruges and Como.
