Como 1907 return to Serie A for the first time in 11 years and begin their top-flight campaign with a dream clash against Juventus this weekend.
It hasn’t been entirely easy for the northern Italian club. From relegation to Serie D and bankruptcy just five years ago to being co-owned by the richest family in Indonesia, the journey has been long and bumpy.
But after a summer that saw ambitious owners arrive at a club with big names on and off the pitch, there is hope that it’s all up from here.
Serie A is no stranger to them
Como 1907 had five consecutive seasons in Italy’s top flight between 1984 and 1989. Before the financial struggles of the early 21st century, different generations of Como teams spent comfortable periods in Serie B, while fighting for promotion to Serie A.
The beginning of their decline came in 2002/03, when Como’s return to Serie A lasted just one season. It was a disastrous campaign in which they won four times and collected just 24 points. Two more relegations followed, and Como found themselves in Serie D.
In 2004, bankruptcy was declared.
The club was set to be liquidated and forced to start over as a new entity before the 2005/06 season, but their financial problems continued in the years that followed. In the 2016/17 season, the club was declared bankrupt and put up for auction, with the wife of former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien becoming its owner.
In 2019, following promotion to Serie C, the club was purchased by Djarum Group, an Indonesian company owned by billionaires Robert Budi Hartano and Michael Bambang Hartano. Djarum Group handed control of the club to another company it owns, London-based media company SENT Entertainment.
This was a turning point in Como’s history, as almost overnight their fortunes changed dramatically.
In this new era, fans who were used to watching their club go from one financial disaster to another suddenly felt hope for a brighter future.
Shortly after taking control of the club, Michael Gandler of SENT Entertainment spoke in an interview of his ambitions to become a “digital Ajax” – using his media skills to create innovative content across platforms and grow the club commercially – domestically and internationally. He also aspired to rival the youth academies of Italian giants Inter, Roma and Atalanta.
The idea wasn’t to throw absurd amounts of money at the club and quickly become a superpower like Manchester City. Gandler wanted to build a project over time with modern ideas while respecting the club’s traditions and history.
That didn’t mean he lacked ambition, though. A return to Serie A wasn’t just a dream. Gandler spoke of creating a Serie A-like atmosphere at the club – “until Como returns to Serie A”.
What to expect from the returning Como
Five years later, Gandler had fulfilled his prediction that Como 1907 would once again be a Serie A club and there was no sign of resting on their laurels.
The club appointed former assistant manager Cesc Fabregas as their new head coach, while high-profile signings such as Raphael Varane, Pepe Reina, Andrea Belotti and Alberto Moreno have thrust Como into the media spotlight.
So far, Como has signed 14 players on permanent or loan terms.
While the club has also brought in some lesser known and younger players, the aforementioned names give them the mix of experience and mentality necessary to win in one of the most competitive leagues in Europe. The concerns surrounding such signings would be – can they maintain their form and can they perform at the level necessary to survive in Serie A?
Can Belotti, for example, rediscover his goalscoring form with Torino? Because without goals, the striker offers little else. Whether Varane can maintain his form will be another major concern, only compounded by the injury he sustained on his debut as Como lost on penalties to Sampdoria in the first round of the Copa Italia.
However, overall there is a positive attitude within the club.
And when you combine the beautiful backdrop of Lake Como, shiny new signings, legendary former co-owners Thierry Henry and Fabregas, and club legend Alessandro Gabrielloni still in the squad (he was scoring goals in Serie D not long ago) – you have a recipe for Hollywood.
Thierry Henry in the stands during the match ComoProfimedia
Como in 2024 is a club with A-list stars on and off the pitch, but it appears to remain true to its core values.
Players like Gabrielloni remain a key part of the squad, while the involvement of the local community, a new state-of-the-art training facility and the return of the youth academy are clear examples of their down-to-earth presence.
After all, Henry spoke in an interview with the Mirror after becoming co-owner in 2022 about the importance of community to the owners, which convinced him to buy a minority stake in the club.
This is a club that seems to be making all the right moves, yet is taking its time to achieve the success that will surely come with time. A modern, forward-thinking club with legendary former players and a community-focused core – what’s not to love?
How they will fare in Serie A with a squad that still looks a long way from Italy’s elite remains to be seen, but it will be an enjoyable journey to watch. And their rapid rise over the past few seasons suggests they can exceed expectations.
