Ricci in, Paz out against Sassuolo
The team news ahead of Como’s home game with Sassuolo carried one clear message: Como were managing a heavy week. According to [1], Samuele Ricci was handed his first Serie A start for the club, while Nico Paz was left out of the starting XI. The same outlet described Paz as rested after his Champions League exertions, which fits a schedule that had Como playing on 14 October in Rotterdam, on 18 October at Fiorentina, on 21 October against Manchester United and then again on 24 October.
The rotation did not cost them. Como beat Sassuolo 2-0 at home, their third consecutive victory in all competitions. Leaving out a player who had just produced a standout European night is a notable call, and the result suggests the squad has enough depth to absorb it. It also gives Ricci a first league appearance in the XI at a moment when the calendar is demanding fresh legs in midfield.
The verified facts do not say how Ricci performed, so it would be wrong to read too much into his debut start. What can be said is that Como kept a clean sheet and scored twice without their most talked-about creator in the starting lineup.
Paz and the Manchester United night
The reason Paz’s absence drew attention was what he had done three days earlier. Como beat Manchester United 4-1 in the Champions League at home, and [2] reported that Paz was instrumental. One of his goals came after he robbed Carlos Baleba of the ball. He also set up Anastasios Douvikas, who scored from Paz’s assist. The same report summarises his night as two goals and an assist, and says Roberto Martinez praised the performance by comparing watching Paz to watching Maradona.
That is strong praise, but it is the manager’s opinion and should be read as such. The measurable part is the scoreline: four goals against a side of Manchester United’s stature, in a competition where Como had lost 3-2 at Feyenoord a week earlier. The win was a quick answer to that defeat.
The contrast with the Sassuolo selection is the interesting detail. Left out of a league game after a night like that, Paz was clearly being protected rather than dropped. Football Italia noted he had been left out of the league starting lineup, and the Champions League performance is the context that makes the decision look like workload management.
What it means
The table gives the clearest picture. Como are fifth in Serie A with 17 points from 8 games, built on five wins, two draws and one defeat, with 14 goals scored and 7 conceded. A goal difference of plus seven supports the idea that this is a side with a solid base at both ends rather than one riding a single hot streak.
The recent form backs that up. Across the last five matches in all competitions Como have won three, drawn one and lost one, scoring 11 and conceding 5. The sequence runs from a 0-0 draw with Roma, to the 3-2 loss at Feyenoord, then wins over Fiorentina (3-1), Manchester United (4-1) and Sassuolo (2-0). The only blemish in the league run is a goalless draw at home, and the only defeat came in Europe.
The next fixture asks a different question: can the squad keep winning when the rotation continues? Como visit Torino on 27 October, just three days after the Sassuolo game. Whether Paz returns to the XI or Ricci keeps his place will be the main team-news point to watch, and the facts we hold do not settle it. The site’s forecast for the match locks 24 hours before kick-off, so no prediction is available yet. For now, the evidence says Como have the results, the depth and the form to make it a demanding trip for Torino.
