Leipzig's Humbling Defeat to Como: Lessons Learned
Leipzig’s leaders didn’t bother reaching for excuses. They knew exactly what this was.
Cesc Fabregas’s Como side, new to Serie A and heavily backed by the Djarum Group since 2019, had just taken them apart. Tactically. Technically. Mentally. The gap to true European elite level was laid bare – and Leipzig’s dressing room voices said it out loud.
Raum: “There just wasn’t enough of anything today”
Captain David Raum cut straight through any sugar-coating. The 28-year-old left-back called the defeat what it felt like from inside the pitch.
“This feels really awful, we got a real thrashing today,” he admitted. “The first half was terrible. The second [half was] maybe a touch better. Overall, it wasn't a good performance from us.”
Leipzig had travelled with a clear idea of how they wanted to play. That made the collapse sting even more.
“We have to learn from this. We need to get together as soon as possible, we actually had a clear plan,” Raum said. “But we weren't brave or clever enough with the ball again. We had the chances to play. But it wasn't sharp enough, there just wasn't enough of anything today.”
The words hit like a checklist of what top-level sides do well – and what Leipzig failed to deliver. Courage on the ball. Precision. Clarity in possession. All missing when it mattered.
Orban: “Como showed us what it means to be active with the ball”
If Raum spoke from the captain’s heart, Willi Orban spoke from the defensive line that had been dragged around all evening.
The 33-year-old centre-back didn’t hide behind tactics or bad luck. He pointed straight at Como’s superiority with the ball and Leipzig’s inability to disrupt it.
“We had a reasonable game plan, but it quickly became clear that we couldn't get a grip on Como's game,” Orban said. “This game hurts a lot today.”
Como, under Fabregas, didn’t just keep possession – they dictated the rhythm and exposed Leipzig’s hesitation.
“Como showed us what it means to be active with the ball, to make decisions on the ball, and to play good passes in the final third,” Orban admitted. “We need to learn that from our opponents today; credit to them. Ultimately, our game plan didn't work out.”
That last line lingered. Not just a failed plan, but a failed execution against a side that looked far more comfortable at a level Leipzig are supposed to belong to.
Raum talked about bravery. Orban talked about learning from Como. Between them, they sketched out the real question: how quickly can Leipzig turn a humbling lesson into a response worthy of a team that still talks about itself in European terms?
