COMO could be forced to play 150MILES away from their stunning stadium if the club qualifies for European football.
The Italian outfit are currently sixth in Serie A which would be enough for them to earn a spot in the Conference League next season.
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Como’s Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium sits on the stunning Lake Como shores Credit: Getty Images
Cesc Fabregas could lead the club into European football Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Como have enjoyed an incredible rise in recent years thanks to the help of manager Cesc Fabregas.
This season has seen the club exceed expectations and challenge towards the top of the Italian league.
But should they qualify for any European tournament, they could face some logistical issues.
The beautifully set Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on the shores of Lake Como is one of the first examples of rationalist architecture.
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It was opened in 1927, but had become dated by 2024 when it received some much-needed renovations.
The changes were made to bring the historic 13,602-capacity ground up to the standards required for the Serie A.
However, Uefa will not be as easy to appease as the regulatory bar for all venues must be met.
Inspectors visited the ground to assess its suitability in April and the biggest issue raised was the temporary scaffold curve.
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The club needs to upgrade the temporary scaffold curve Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The stand is the home of the club’s ultras but Uefa regulations are clear.
They state that “stands must be fixed to a load-bearing foundation and may not be based on or contain any tubular/scaffolding structures”.
Club president Mirwan Suwaso has received support from the city’s mayor to replace it with a permanent structure this summer.
The pitch will also need to be widened from its current 66 metres to Uefa’s required 68m
There would also need to be a two-metre buffer between the touchline and advertising boards.
There is a lot of work for the club to deal with in the short space of time between the end of the season and the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
Como will also need to settle a dispute with residents concerned about the effects on road infrastructure and increased traffic.
If the work is not completed in time for the start of a European campaign next term, then a new venue will need to be found.
The Mapei Stadium could host Como’s European fixtures Credit: Getty
Mock-ups have been made of what the stadium could look like after the renovations Credit: Populous
Sassuolo’s Mapei Stadium has been touted as a potential home for Como’s European fixtures.
The stadium sits 150miles from Como, which would not be ideal for the club’s supporters.
The ground in Reggio Emilia has previously been used by Atalanta, as the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia was redeveloped.
Udinese’s Bluenergy Stadium has also been suggested as an alternative option.
Como would not be able to use the San Siro due to AC Milan and Inter Milan also competing in European competition.
With three clubs using the Milan stadium, it would become a scheduling issue.
