Como Makes History by Qualifying for UEFA Champions League

• Como qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in club history after finishing fourth in Serie A.

• AC Milan missed out on Champions League qualification after losing 2-1 to Cagliari on the final day.

• Cesc Fàbregas guided Como from rapid lower-division rise to Europe’s elite competition in just seven years.

Como’s remarkable rise continued Sunday as Cesc Fàbregas’ team qualified for the Champions League along with Roma on the final day of the Serie A season.

AC Milan and Juventus also missed out, while Cremonese was relegated. Como, a club with a 119-year history, had never participated in any European competition and was playing in the fourth division of Italian soccer just seven years ago. Four teams were vying for the final two Champions League berths in the Italian league’s concluding round.

Milan and Roma were in a favorable position as they occupied the third and fourth spots, level on points and two above Como and Juventus. Roma secured a 2-0 victory against already-relegated Hellas Verona on Sunday, while Milan lost 2-1 at home to Cagliari. This outcome allowed Como to leapfrog the Rossoneri after they won 4-1 at Cremonese.

Roma finished the season in third place, two points ahead of Como, which achieved fourth place and a spot in Europe’s elite club competition. Como could not be overtaken by Juventus. Despite a delayed kickoff due to fan trouble, a win for Juventus would have put them level on points with Como, but Como had the better head-to-head record.

After a season marked by disappointment, Milan ended one point below Como and may finish sixth depending on Juventus’ results. Based on the shores of the eponymous lake in northern Italy, Como has made significant strides since Indonesian tobacco billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono bought the club in 2019, when it was in Serie D.

The Champions League could help retain Fàbregas at the club amid interest from larger teams across Europe in the 39-year-old coach, who has impressed in his first senior managerial role.

Lecce safe

Lecce secured their place in Serie A with a 1-0 victory over Genoa, moving four points above the 17th-place Cremonese, which will join Verona and Pisa in the second division next season.