Champions League: Lens humiliated in historic proportions by Como

A nightmare. A real one. A few days after a frustrating setback in the Northern derby against Lille (1-0), Lens had the opportunity to redeem themselves, on their lawn, against Como. Missed opportunity. Totally missed, even. Florian Thauvin and his teammates were humiliated this Wednesday at Bollaert (1-9). You are not dreaming, the score is not an error...

What may be surprising is above all the level displayed by the Sang et Or. Nothing worked. No aggressiveness, a technical level close to nothing, lack of genius or initiatives, no revolt, invisible leaders... Faced with an excellent Lombard team, it must be said. The current 4th in Serie A, also the best defense in the Italian championship, also showed the quality of his game.

The first goal came in the 8th minute with a quickly played corner and a goal from center forward Douvikas, alone against Risser's goal. The second goal, on the other hand, is a technical masterpiece. The ball starts from the French goalkeeper of Como Jean Butez, well filtered by the other tricolor Lucas Da Cunha. The attacking midfielder, called up during the Blues' last match against Belgium by Zinédine Zidane, delivers a good ball for the Argentinian prodigy Nico Paz who, with a nice opening from the left, finds his full-back Valle. The latter puts Douvikas in front of the goal who just has to push deep (32nd). Simple, much too simple.

Thauvin and his family may get annoyed, but Paz achieves his goal with a powerful strike (40th). Bollaert is extinct. Note the magnificent tribute from the Argentinian from Como for the footballer Jesus de Miguel, who died after a terrible shock on the pitch in Tenerife this Monday. Paz also had a stint with the Canary Islands club.

Bollaert rooms his players

Lens is perhaps hoping for a Manchester United-style scenario. The Red Devils, trailing by two goals until the hour mark on their home pitch against AS Roma this Tuesday, managed to turn the table around to win. Except that Como decided otherwise. Served by Paz in depth, the Frenchman Da Cunha, in all the good moves this evening, plants a fourth banderilla in a completely cooled Bollaert cauldron (47th, 0-4). Do you want more? Como is here to serve you. Three goals in nine minutes, by Kempf (53rd), Douvikas for his hat-trick (57th) and the young Liberali (62nd, 0-7).

Even the Lensois public allows itself to accommodate its own players. Aguilar saves the honor on a set piece thanks to a beautiful volley (65th). For honor... Como does not stop and its young guard adds an 8th goal by Baturina (69th). The icing on the cake, the young Papaccioli sealed the fate of the match with a 9th goal. The last one, I promise.

A totally mind-blowing scenario, historic even – no French club had suffered such a scenario at home in a C1 match -, which no one expected. Even less the Lensois, who challenge OM in the League in four days. Panic on board. The Sang et Or may have already finished their European adventure this evening. And maybe that’s a blessing in disguise.