Como’s scoring drought makes Feyenoord trip a test after Leipzig statement

Como have gone two Serie A matches without scoring, making Wednesday’s visit to Feyenoord a test of whether their 4-1 Champions League win over RB Leipzig can spark a lasting run or was an outlier.

Cesc Fàbregas’s side had collected seven points from their first three league games before opening their European campaign against Leipzig. They then beat Parma 2-1, lost 2-0 to Frosinone and drew 0-0 with Roma. The Roma match was the first goalless game in Serie A this season, ending a run of 53 consecutive matches with at least one goal.

The draw also left Como without a goal despite Roma playing the final 44 minutes with 10 men after Donyell Malen was sent off. The immediate concern is not simply the dropped points: Como have yet to go three consecutive matches without scoring in all competitions under Fàbregas. A goal in Rotterdam would stop that question becoming a more serious storyline.

Feyenoord are a tougher test than their opening European result might suggest. They lost 5-1 to Barcelona in the first round, but have since won three consecutive Eredivisie matches, scoring seven against PEC Zwolle, five against Utrecht and two against AZ Alkmaar. They kept clean sheets in all three, and the victory over AZ ended the opponents’ seven-month unbeaten league run. Feyenoord have moved to the top of the early table.

That makes the matchup a sharp contrast: Como arrive with a landmark European win but two domestic blanks, while Feyenoord have recovered from a heavy Champions League defeat with a strong league response. Como sit fifth in the Champions League league phase and are aiming to remain in the top eight, which would bring direct passage to the knockout stage.

The teams meet at De Kuip on Wednesday, October 14, at 18:45. For Como, the result matters in the league-phase race, but finding the net would also answer the clearest concern from their last two Serie A outings.