Manchester United went to Como looking for a European response.
They left with a 4–1 defeat.
Nico Paz scored twice and created another as Como overwhelmed United at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, producing one of the standout results of Champions League Matchday 3.
Paz struck after only two minutes, immediately forcing Michael Carrick’s side into a chase they never truly controlled.
United reached half-time only one goal down, but the match broke open after the restart.
Anastasios Douvikas made it 2–0 in the 49th minute after Paz released him through the middle.
Eight minutes later, Paz struck again.
By then, Como had moved from controlling the contest to dismantling United’s resistance.
Jacobo Ramón added a fourth in the 76th minute before Joshua Zirkzee scored a late consolation in stoppage time.
Paz controlled the night
The result belonged to Como.
The performance belonged to Paz.
Two goals, one assist and a player-of-the-match display gave United a problem they never solved.
His opening strike changed the game immediately.
His pass for Douvikas deepened the damage.
His second goal effectively ended the contest.
Como did not sit on the advantage after going ahead. They continued to attack, forcing United into uncomfortable possession and repeatedly exposing space as the visitors tried to recover.
Carrick changed personnel at half-time, introducing Carlos Baleba and Amad, but the momentum only moved further away from United.
United’s European pressure grows
The defeat leaves United with two successive Champions League losses after their 2–0 defeat at Atlético Madrid.
That does not define their season.
It does sharpen the European warning.
United have now followed a comfortable opening win with back-to-back defeats, and the manner of the Como loss raises a clear performance question: how effectively can Carrick’s side control elite matches when opponents dictate tempo and pressure?
There was one individual positive.
Matthijs de Ligt returned after a long absence and played 79 minutes following back surgery.
His comeback gives United another defensive option.
It did not change the story of the night.
Como make home advantage count again
For Como, the result reinforces an emerging Champions League pattern at home.
They had already beaten Leipzig 4–1 in their opening league-phase match.
Now Manchester United have left the same stadium with the same score against them.
Six points from three matches give Como substance to go with the spectacle.
And against United, they earned both.
One result, two very different directions
Como leave Matchday 3 with momentum, confidence and one of the competition’s most eye-catching victories.
United leave with questions.
Not invented crisis.
Not unsupported dressing-room drama.
Just the hard evidence of a 4–1 European defeat in which the opposition scored early, attacked again after half-time and never allowed United to take control.
Como did not edge Manchester United.
They broke the game open and never gave it back.