Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Como, Manchester United make the trip to the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on Wednesday evening to encounter Como 1907 in the UEFA Champions League.
It was on this date (20th October) three years ago that Como suffered back-to-back defeats in Serie B following a 2-1 loss away at former Italian heavyweights Parma.
Now the Lombardy-based outfit are mixing it with the European behemoths, eager to prove their appearance in this year's UEFA Champions League will not be a fleeting visit.
At their forefront of their remarkable ascent is former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas, who steered Como to 10th in their first Serie A campaign in 21 years during the 2024/25 season before guiding the Lariani to fourth in Italy's top-flight last term.
Como's progression has resulted in Fabregas' managerial stock rising at a startling rate, and the Spaniard has been linked with a multitude of big-name vacancies in recent months.
Fabregas has continued to pledge his commitment to Como's ambitious project, but football journalist Gianluca Di Marzio senses it's only a matter of time before the 39-year-old is in the dugout of a European giant.
"I don't know if his next step will necessarily be the Premier League, but it will certainly be one of Europe's top five clubs," said Di Marzio. "I just don't see Cesc Fàbregas leaving Como for a club that's merely big rather than elite. I think he'd only walk away from Como if a heavyweight club like Chelsea, Arsenal, or Barcelona came calling.
"I wouldn't look at Manchester City since they've just appointed Maresca, but maybe Manchester United, Chelsea if things don't work out with Xabi Alonso, or Barcelona if Hansi Flick were to stumble. Either way, he's destined for an elite international job—maybe even Bayern Munchen if Vincent Kompany runs into difficulties.
"It's far too early to tell, and I don't think he's fixated on whether it's the Premier League, Bundesliga, or La Liga.
It will come down to ambition: joining a project where he can immediately compete for titles and thrive in the UEFA Champions League.
Como were victorious in their first-ever UEFA Champions League outing as they comfortably dispatched RB Leipzig 4-1, but they relinquished a one-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Feyenoord at De Kuip in what Fabregas described as a "learning experience".
The visit of Manchester United has been hailed as a "dream come true" by the Spaniard, and yet Como will want to ensure it's a night the Red Devils will want to forget in a hurry.
Michael Carrick's position as head coach is under mounting scrutiny following United's worst start to a league season since 1986 and last week's 2-0 loss to Atletico de Madrid exacerbated their woes.
Despite their disappointing run of form, United will head to Italy with the intention of winning against a side that have lost just once in Serie A so far this season.
Como's aggressive counter-pressing and relentless intensity have provided the foundations of their success under Fabregas and Di Marzio believes United must match the physical output of their opponents if they're to have any chance of securing three points.
Di Marzio said: "It's always easy to give tactical advice from the sidelines! Frosinone showed that to beat Como, you need to play the perfect game at a relentless intensity. You have to press them for 100 minutes, deny them time to think, and stop them from dominating possession, because otherwise they carve out passing angles and find ways to score from anywhere.
"You have to harry them from the first whistle to the last, be at peak physical condition, and utilise your substitutes to ensure there's no breathing space. That's the only way to nip them in the bud."
