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Cesc Fabregas has carved his name into the history books of Como by steering the club to its first-ever qualification for the Champions League on a thrilling final day of Serie A action. As the lakeside team celebrated their unprecedented entry into Europe’s premier competition, Jamie Vardy and Cremonese were left devastated after a 4-1 defeat confirmed their relegation.

Como's dream realised

This season will go down as a landmark chapter at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, where Como cemented their status as one of Italy’s rising football forces by clinching the fourth and final Champions League spot in Serie A.

The milestone comes just two years after their promotion to the top division, completing a remarkable rise under the tactical direction of Fabregas. They capitalised on AC Milan’s surprising 2-1 home loss to Cagliari to leapfrog the Rossoneri on the final matchday.

The emotional scenes that followed Como’s confirmation of Champions League football were captured as players celebrated the realisation of a lifelong dream — to compete among Europe’s elite. This will be only the second time in their history that Como participate in a European competition, the first being their appearance in the Mitropa Cup back in 1981.

Control at the Zini Stadium

Despite the high-pressure setting, Como displayed composure from the outset against a Cremonese side desperate to avoid the drop. Their attacking intent paid off in the 36th minute when Jesus Rodriguez’s shot deflected off Alberto Grassi to wrong-foot Emil Audero.

Just after half-time, Rodriguez turned provider, setting up top scorer Anastasios Douvikas, who calmly netted from close range for his 14th goal of the campaign. With Como two goals ahead and news arriving that Lecce were winning their own match, the tension among the home supporters grew unbearable.

Vardy’s relegation anguish

Jamie Vardy, who joined Cremonese last summer following his departure from Leicester City, tried to inspire a fightback in the second half. The experienced English forward used his guile to earn a penalty after being brought down by Jacobo Ramon.

Federico Bonazzoli converted from the spot to make it 2-1, briefly reigniting hope among the home fans of a miraculous comeback. However, those hopes quickly faded as Marco Giampaolo’s side endured a meltdown in the closing minutes.

Discipline completely deserted Cremonese after referee Fabio Maresca awarded Como a penalty for a foul on Douvikas. Alberto Grassi was dismissed for dissent, followed by substitutes Milan Duric and David Okereke, reducing the hosts to eight players for the final ten minutes.

Lucas Da Cunha kept his cool amid the chaos, slotting home the penalty before adding a superb second goal seven minutes later to seal a commanding 4-1 victory.

Different paths

Cremonese’s single season back in Serie A proved a struggle, yielding only eight wins from 38 games. For Vardy, the final whistle brought another painful relegation — his second in consecutive seasons following Leicester City’s drop to the Championship at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

In stark contrast, Fabregas’ Como now prepare for a historic adventure in Europe’s top-tier competition. They finished fourth in Serie A, surpassing giants AC Milan and Juventus, while Napoli and Roma claimed second and third places respectively, behind runaway champions Inter.