Como’s Race Against Time

Como have embarked upon a remarkable journey since the arrival of their Indonesian owners in 2019. Having risen from the depths of semi-professional football in Serie D, they have now secured promotion to Serie A.

When the club was declared bankrupt for the second time in 2017, Como’s loyal supporters could not have dreamed of the scenario they now find themselves in. Billionaire owners, Cesc Fabregas on the coaching staff and another World Cup winner in the boardroom in the shape of Thierry Henry. It has been an unfolding fairy tale for the Como faithful.

The new owners have astutely harnessed the allure of the lakeside lifestyle, leveraging the power of celebrity and social media to build a brand with international appeal.

Simultaneously, they are investing in the local community through their support for charitable causes and showcasing the stories of loyal fans and local entrepreneurs. The fans – new, lapsed and loyal – are voting with their feet and the stadium is teeming on matchdays once again.

The idyllic Stadio Sinigaglia (to pronounce, the second ‘g’ is silent) is located just a few meters from the lapping waters of Lake Como, complete with a dramatic mountain backdrop and seaplanes flying overhead. It is a crucial asset for the burgeoning brand.

Yet the stadium could also be the Achilles Heel as Como prepare for the top flight. It is in desperate need of modernisation; a leaking roof featured in the club’s Mola.tv documentary was symbolic of the extensive problems they face at a venue that will soon mark its centenary.

Developing the stadium was identified as a priority by the new owners when they first arrived. But progress so far has been modest, complicated by the municipal ownership of the stadium.

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Como could find themselves in an analogous position to Venezia in 2021; promoted on the pitch but with a stadium that does not meet the strict requirements of Serie A.

Improvements have already been made to the Stadio Sinigaglia facilities and lighting. Furthermore, plans are in the pipeline for a more significant overhaul of the stadium – but that will arrive too late for the 2024/25 season.

The most substantial stumbling block in the near term is the capacity. The stadium currently holds a safety certificate for 7,498 people; a long way short of the 12,000 required for Serie A. There are other shortcomings too, relating to segregation, the absence of a big screen and a dearth of VIP parking.

With several areas of the stadium currently out of use, including the upper part of the lakeside Distinti and the majority of the eastern curva, the potential is certainly there to make progress towards the 12,000 target.

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This isn’t the first time the club have been here. When they last competed in Serie A in 2002/03, a similar flurry of activity saw the construction of scaffold stands to meet capacity requirements. However, the exacting standards of the league have tightened since then, meaning such temporary solutions are unlikely to hit the mark.

There is, however, a chink of light.

The league has the authority to grant time-limited exemptions for a variety of reasons, such as physical constraints or where credible plans are in place to further develop the facilities. If Como can increase the capacity to 10,500, alongide credible plans to increase the capacity further, the league is likely to grant a 12-month exemption.

Como now face a race against time.

They are working to bring the decrepit Distinti back into service after years out of action. The concrete structure needs patching up and reinforcing to make it safe for use. Meanwhile, an additional 200 seats are being added to the visitors sector. Entrance and exit gates are being upgraded around the stadium to ease the flow of spectators.

The league accepted Como;s request to play their first three games of the new season away from home. This has given them until 15th September, when Bologna are due to come to town, to complete the improvement works. If the stadium fails to make the grade in time, the fallback plan would be to host ‘home’ matches at Stadio Bentegodi in Verona. However, the club’s representatives have been vehement on the matter, insisting that the stadio will be ready in time.

Como’s well-funded hierarchy enjoy a good relationship with the municipality and will be doing everything in their power to ensure that both the club and the city are restored to Serie A. We’ll be watching with interest as this story unfolds in the coming weeks.