Cesc Fabregas guides Como to Champions League qualification for first time EVER as Jamie Vardy suffers relegation with Cremonese

In a season that will be remembered for decades at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como modernised their status as a rising power in Italian football by securing the fourth and final Champions League spot in Serie A.

The achievement comes just two years after their promotion to the top flight, capping off a remarkable ascent under the tactical guidance of Fabregas. The club took full advantage of AC Milan's unexpected 2-1 defeat at home to Cagliari to leapfrog the Rossoneri on the final day.

The moment Como found out they will be playing Champions League football next season was captured in emotional footage as the players realized their dreams of competing against Europe’s elite had become a reality. This marks only the second time the club has qualified for any European competition, having previously appeared in the Mitropa Cup back in 1981.

Despite the high stakes, Como looked composed from the first whistle against a Cremonese side fighting for survival. That attacking philosophy bore fruit in the 36th minute when Jesus Rodriguez’s effort took a significant deflection off Alberto Grassi to beat Emil Audero.

The lead was doubled shortly after the interval when Rodriguez turned provider. He found the club's top scorer, Anastasios Douvikas, who made no mistake from close range to notch his 14th goal of the season. At 2-0, the pressure on the hosts became suffocating, especially as news filtered through that their relegation rivals Lecce were leading in their respective fixture.

Vardy, who joined Cremonese last summer after leaving Leicester City, was at the heart of a brief second-half resurgence. The veteran English striker used all his experience to win a penalty after being brought down by Jacobo Ramon.

Federico Bonazzoli stepped up to convert the spot-kick, momentarily halving the deficit and giving the home supporters a glimmer of hope that a miracle comeback was possible. However, the optimism was short-lived as the match spiralled out of control for Marco Giampaolo’s side.

The closing stages were defined by a total disciplinary collapse from Cremonese. After referee Fabio Maresca awarded Como a penalty for a foul on Douvikas, the hosts lost their composure entirely. Alberto Grassi was shown a red card for his protests, followed quickly by substitutes Milan Duric and David Okereke, leaving the home side with just eight men on the pitch for the final ten minutes of the contest.

Lucas Da Cunha remained the calmest man in the stadium, firing home the penalty before adding a sublime second goal seven minutes later to put the gloss on a 4-1 scoreline.

A single season in the top flight had been a struggle for Cremonese, who managed only eight wins across their 38 matches. For Vardy, the final whistle signalled a bitter end to a campaign that had promised much but ultimately delivered the sting of relegation to Serie B. It marked his second successive relegation after being part of the Leicester City side that dropped to the Championship at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Vardy's fortunes contrasted widely with Fabregas', whose Como side are now set to challenge on the elite European stage. They finished fourth in Serie A ahead of traditional powerhouses AC Milan and Juventus, with Napoli and Roma landing second and third, respectively, behind runway champions Inter.