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There is something therapeutic about being by the mountains. As our train rolled into Como, the clouds were floating down the hillside, into the hustle and the bustle of people milling about the serene lake. It didn’t feel like we were coming here to watch a football game, but more a set of an idyllic movie. That is the magic of Como I suppose.
The stadium, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia merges into the rest of the town, precariously hanging off the edge of the lake. In isolation it is an unextraordinary stadium, but the beauty of it is, it is not in isolation. The backdrop to the stadium is not like any I have seen, anywhere. Nestled into the hills, the I Lariani faithful’s encouraging chants echo around the four corners of the ground. It was a lovely touch that the matchday programme was free, meaning everyone grabbed one on their way into the ground and up the few concrete steps, depending on whether you were upper or lower tier. The Curva Stand did their traditional pre-match roar, “Como! Como! Como!” holding the blue scarves aloft with drum and fireworks in the background. There was a mixture of locals and international fans like us, which actually made the atmosphere really feel good, even when Parma took the lead against the run of play half way through the first half.
Cesc Fabregas, known for his smooth and measured playing style looked twitchier and more frantic on the touchline than on the pitch, sporting a cool denim jeans and trainers combo though. The crowd didn’t give up on the team, Como wingers Alieu Fadera and Gabriel Strefezza providing the flair and stretching Parma’s backline. Eventually the hard work paid off, and Como equalised just before the break. Nico Paz, who was recently back from international duty with Argentina, where Messi heaped praise on suggesting a “bright future” ahead got the goal.
Half time meant it was time for another of the local beers. These were five euro, and it was a fantastic conveyor belt system of fans passing them over each other’s heads to speed up the long line. I have not had a better half-time pint than staring out at the lake wondering how we will get the winner in the second-half.
There is only one stand with a roof, so if like our game, the heavens open, put on your Como poncho. The stand with the roof was home to various stars of screen including Hugh Grant cheering Como on with a pint in hand. It didn’t matter too much, as I’d never had such a scenic half-time debrief and tactical download like the one we had here. We were anticipating that momentum would see the pressure build in the second half and a Como winner. Alas, although the most likely of the two teams, it wasn’t to be. A 1-1 draw was a fair result and capped off a relatively good month for Como. Results since, however, may mean that it’s looked at as two points dropped in hindsight.
Our 3 Points City Guide kept us entertained for the rest of the weekend, as we headed to the local sports bar around the corner to take in the 5:30 kick-off. If Como win, they offer each fan a free pint, two pints dropped for us…An evening of pasta before a morning of Lake tours, funicular rides and an all-out admiration of Como town capped the weekend off.
This was a Division 3 package; I have no idea how we managed to end up sipping pints on the edge of Lake Como for £300 per person. There are no two ways about it – we certainly had a winning weekend. We are looking forward to the next one, this will definitely become an annual affair…
🎥📍🇮🇹 SQUAD CAM: check out the vlog of the whole weekend here... 👇
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*The trip advertised in this article took place in October 2024. Prices and Division club packages were correct at the time of publishing in November 2024.
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