Como will play in the UEFA Champions League next season after capping a memorable Serie A season with European qualification.
Cesc Fabregas’ Como, who are based on the shores of the eponymous lake in northern Italy, crushed relegated Cremonese 4-1 to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
Como have never been a part of European competition in the 119-year history of the club.
It continued their rapid rise since Indonesian billionaire brothers Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono purchased Como in 2019, when they were in Serie D. Fabregas and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry also hold minority ownership stakes.
Former Spain, Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Fabregas joined Como as a player in 2022 while they were still in Serie B, took on an ownership stake and then was appointed in July 2024, having served on an interim basis the year prior as the Italian side reached Serie A following a 22-year absence.
Como have not looked back under the management of highly-rated 39-year-old Fabregas, who has been linked with clubs around Europe.
“This is a squad full of kids, we’ve got 15 players who are all under 23, so it’s masterpiece from the whole team. They listened, always wanted to do more, raised the bar at the right time,” Fabregas told DAZN Italia.
“I can only tip my hat to these players, because we coaches try to push them on, give options, tell them where the space is, but they are the ones who do it on the pitch. I am so happy for the people of Como, they deserve this joy.”
Fabregas added: “I always say that I had to make many decisions here, because I was practically given the keys to the football side of things, and there was practically nothing when we started.
“I was talking to two physios today who were with us four years ago when I came to play, we didn’t have a training ground, so we’d do massage on tables in the back room of a bar! Now, we are in the Champions League.
“It is my second year and a half as a coach, so thanks to the staff for the way they push and inspire me, understand me. I realise I’m tough to deal with at times, but this is my life, always trying to do more.
“I have grown so much in this experience. It has been like going to a football university every day, because I had to make so many decisions. The day I do leave here, I will become just a coach.”
While Como celebrated history, AC Milan and Juventus are left to lick their wounds after failing to qualify for the Champions League on a dramatic final day – marking the first time both Italian giants will miss the premier club competition for the first time since 1991.
Slumping Milan dropped out of the top four after a shock 2-1 defeat to Cagliari as Juventus could only draw 2-2 with rivals Torino after fan clashes outside the stadium caused kick-off to be suspended.
🇮🇹❌ De momento está SUSPENDIDO EL PARTIDO ENTRE LA JUVENTUS Y TORINO
Tras los enfrentamientos entre ambas hinchadas a las afueras del estadio, la afición de la Juve pidió al equipo que no saliera al campo 👀
ℹ️ @calciomercatoit pic.twitter.com/s9PFDfLv2o
— Ligas Top del Fútbol (@LigasTopFutbol) May 24, 2026
Milan and Juve – who will both visit Perth, Australia during their pre-season tour – finished fifth and sixth respectively to drop into the Europa League spots as Roma joined Napoli and champions Inter in the Champions League.
“At this moment, I am disappointed, angry, because we missed out on the Champions League. After we beat Genoa last week, nobody expected a defeat like this,” Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri told DAZN Italia.
“Unfortunately, this is sport, we have to accept it. We need to evaluate the whole season, I cannot reproach my lads anything, they put what they needed to onto the pitch throughout the year.
“I don’t know what happened, we certainly made mistakes during these defeats, but we had got the situation back on track against Genoa.
“When evaluating the end of a season, it’s natural the results will make you see things differently, but we must be clear-eyed when looking at the overall situation.”
As for Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti, he added via Sky Sport Italia: “I’m the coach who has to examine what happened.
“We had the game in our hands; it’s in these games that you see the people’s character and how we are made inside. It’s in games like these where you look for something more. It’s not the same thing to have two points more or two points less.”
On a chaotic day, Scudetto-winning boss Antonio Conte also announced his Napoli departure amid links with the Italy vacancy.
“I rang the chairman a month ago … and told him: ‘Given the friendship we share, I feel that my time here is coming to an end.’ The decision was mine,” Conte told reporters. “I’ve never been one for mediocre seasons, and I never will be.”
“I saw situations there that I did not like,” Conte continued. “Certainly some new signings arrived in January while the old group and I were in very difficult dynamics. There came a moment when it was right to speak out and take responsibility.
“I failed at one thing in Naples: I was unable to bring everyone together,” he added. “I saw too much poison, too much malice. The moment you can no longer do things with ease is a step backwards for me.”