Como’s final gift to its fans ahead of their Champions League debut is special Mirwan Suwarso gave up his Seats for longest-serving fans

From Serie B to the Champions League, Como has never stopped moving according to a clear philosophy, both on and off the pitch. Over the years, that approach has translated into decisions that have often been bold, sometimes unexpected, and not always immediately easy to understand. Take November 2023, when the club decided to part ways with Moreno Longo despite sitting sixth in Serie B, handing the reins to an absolute coaching debutant in Cesc Fàbregas. Or the decision to build for the future by putting its faith in young talent, turning players such as Nico Paz into symbols of a project that looks well beyond the present.

The same determination has shaped Como's journey towards the Champions League. The ownership's intention was clear from the outset: the club's European debut against RB Leipzig had to take place at home, at the Sinigaglia. A decision that required a race against time to complete the necessary stadium upgrades, but one that ultimately allowed the club to bring its first European night back to the place where everything began.

Suwarso's gesture: putting Como's history first

And precisely because this first chapter of the journey had to come full circle where it began, Como decided to go one step further for its supporters. Or rather, to give a dream night to those who were there before quiet luxury made its way into the stands of the Sinigaglia, alongside actors, singers and former footballers, and a whole new dimension of star power. Ahead of the match against Leipzig, president Mirwan Suwarso announced that he and several members of the club's management had decided to give up their seats in the stands to make room for the club's oldest supporters. A decision prompted by the stadium's reduced capacity and the limited number of tickets available, but above all by the desire to make space for those who had been waiting for this night longer than anyone else: supporters born in 1950 or earlier, who have followed Como through every division and every era.

It is a gesture that perfectly captures the two directions in which Como is moving. On one side, there is the firm ambition to build a club capable of competing with Europe's biggest football institutions not only on the pitch, but also in terms of image, creating an ecosystem around the team where football, fashion, entertainment and lifestyle naturally coexist. On the other, there is an awareness that no transformation can ever come at the expense of its roots. Before the Champions League nights came the Serie D away days. Before the actors and former footballers filled the stands came the most difficult years, ownership collapses and new beginnings. Before the name Como became international, there were supporters who kept showing up, regardless of the division, the result or the club's ambitions.

The Champions League is only the beginning

Along this journey, not every decision has been met with applause. Take the choice, announced at the start of the season, to revoke season tickets from supporters who record three unjustified absences, a measure that inevitably sparked debate. Yet even here, behind a decision that may appear strict, lies the same philosophy that defines the Como project: building a relationship with its supporters that is not exclusively tied to the result on Sunday.

The goal is to create a close-knit, committed and conscious community, one capable of staying close to the club regardless of the division, the league table or the moment of the season. A bond that does not end after 90 minutes, but becomes part of the club's identity itself. Because while Como is building a team capable of competing on the European stage, it is also building a fanbase that can grow with it over the long term. A fanbase that remains loyal not only when everything is going well, but especially when more difficult moments inevitably arrive. It is another side of the same ambition: taking Como to a new level without losing the sense of belonging that, long before the big names and Champions League nights, allowed the club to get here.