Como and Cesc Fabregas make a statement in Serie A ahead of Champions League debut

ROME (AP) — Como is no longer Serie A’s surprise package. The big-spending club located on the fashionable lake is shaping up as a possible Italian league contender.

A 2-1 weekend win at Napoli — which has won Serie A twice in the last four seasons — boosted Como’s confidence before Cesc Fabregas’ team makes its Champions League debut with Manchester United, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona among its opponents.

“Winning at the Maradona is not normal,” Fabregas said, referring to Napoli’s Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Como finished fourth ahead of Juventus and AC Milan last season to claim Serie A’s final Champions League spot with a high-pressing brand of soccer that is uncommon in Italy.

Pressing was again decisive against Napoli, as Como players swarmed forward and produced a turnover that led to the winning goal from Anastasios Douvikas.

Douvikas, a Greece center forward, also scored in a 1-1 draw at Udinese in Como’s opener — after leading the team with 14 last season, which tied him for second on the league-wide chart.

“Tasos has the power of a horse,” Fabregas said, using Douvikas' nickname.

Still, with the Champions League looming, Fabregas wants Como to sign another player with the potential to score a bundle of goals. His eye is on Italy center forward Moise Kean, who is set to leave Fiorentina before the transfer market closes on Tuesday.

“Obviously, I expect a striker,” Fabregas said. “Douvikas can’t play in Serie A, the Italian Cup and the Champions League. We have only one striker.”

Alvaro Morata alternated with Douvikas last season but missed three months due to injury and has now been loaned to Spanish second-division side Leganes.

“We played with a false nine many times,” Fabregas said. “Playing every three days at this level isn’t easy.”

The victory at Napoli raised the possibility of whether Como could contend for the Italian title.

“We’re only in the second round. And soon we’re going to be entering a new world,” Fabregas said, referring to the Champions League.

Having played in the fourth division of Italian soccer just seven years ago, it’s the first time in Como’s 119-year history that it has qualified for a continental competition.

For the occasion, Como’s Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium has had to undergo modifications and will have a capacity of only slightly more than 10,000 for European matches.

Como’s Champions League debut will be at the Sinigaglia against Leipzig on Sept. 10, with United to visit in October and PSG in January.

While Kean is yet to arrive, Como’s biggest offseason move may have been convincing Real Madrid not to exercise its buy-back option on 21-year-old playmaker Nico Paz and let the Argentina international stay for a third season.

While it already had the best defense in Serie A last season, Como has also bolstered its backline with the signing of center back Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea for 30 million euros ($35 million).

In midfield, Fabregas has been impressed by 31-year-old Luis Milla, who has started both matches since transferring from Getafe.

“Milla is very underrated in Spain, but it’s normal. There are so many great players that sometimes we tend to forget the others, who are not Pedri or Rodri,” Fabregas said. “I’ve been following for a long time. He's had a steadily rising career, and now it’s his time to play in the Champions League. We try to bring young players here, but I’m happy for him and many others.”

Among the team’s younger midfielders, 23-year-old Martin Baturina remains a steady presence and scored the opener against Napoli for his seventh goal in Serie A since joining from Dinamo Zagreb before last season. Since Baturina's first goal for Como in November, only Paz, Scott McTominay and Nikola Vlasic (eight each) have scored more over the same span among midfielders in the Italian league.

Up next for Como: a visit to Daniele De Rossi's Genoa on Friday. Then nearly a week off before starting its Champions League campaign.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Como's Martin Baturina scores during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Como, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. 2026. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Luis Milla reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Como, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. 2026. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Como players and coach Cesc Fabregas celebrate their 2-1 win at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Como, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. 2026. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Martin Baturina, 2nd from right, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Como, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. 2026. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Como's head coach Cesc Fàbregas gestures during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Como, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. 2026. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art is canceling its planned exhibit honoring British designer John Galliano, which had led to severe backlash in the Jewish community and beyond because of the designer’s past antisemitic and racist statements.

The museum said Monday that the exhibit, which had been planned as the May 2027 spring Costume Institute show launching the annual Met Gala, will be replaced by another show to be announced later.

“Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition," Max Hollein, director and CEO of the museum, announced in a statement.

The designer joined in the statement, saying: “After much reflection and discussion with The Met and all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time. I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry for it."

Galliano, long recognized as one of the fashion world’s biggest talents for his flamboyant designs, was at the pinnacle of that world for years as creative director of Christian Dior. He was fired from the post when a series of racist and antisemitic comments from 2010 and 2011 surfaced and went viral, leading to his conviction in an antisemitism trial in France.

Dropped by Dior, Galliano spent several years involved in public and private efforts to rehabilitate. He made a comeback in 2014 when he was hired by Paris fashion house Maison Margiela, where he remained for a decade.

He was to become only the third living designer to be the subject of a solo show at the Met's Costume Institute.

The spring is launched by the annual Met Gala, the most visible event on the fashion calendar. The gala is overseen by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s global editorial director and one of the most influential figures in global fashion. Wintour has been a longtime friend and supporter of Galliano.

The museum had held discussions with Jewish community leaders before announcing the show, hoping to ward off anticipated backlash. But the anger only increased. One of the key critics of the planned show was New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who issued a statement Monday praising the decision to cancel.

“After my numerous and lengthy meetings and conversations with The Met, I am pleased that they have agreed to not honor John Galliano," Menin said. “From the beginning, I have told them that I strongly disagreed with this decision, and at this rising time of antisemitism, it had served as a gut punch to the Jewish community. This is the correct decision, as the harm and pain this was causing was simply unacceptable.”

FILE - Fashion designer John Galliano poses at the end of the presentation of the Dior Haute Couture spring/summer 2010 fashion collection on Jan. 25, 2010, in Paris. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File)