CHENNAI: Six years ago, Como was better known for its lake than its football. Sabah FK did not even exist. Viking were a distant memory in European competition, while LASK were still waiting for their moment on the continent’s biggest stage.
Now, all four have arrived.
Their paths could hardly be more different, from bankruptcy and the fourth tier in Italy to a club barely a decade old in Azerbaijan, from Norway’s domestic football to an extraordinary comeback in Austria. But they have all reached the same destination: the Champions League.
For these outsiders, the league phase is not simply about facing Europe’s giants. It is the reward for years of rebuilding, belief and, in some cases, an extraordinary slice of luck.
Here is how each club made its way to the top table of European football.
Como 1907 (Italy)
Manager: Cesc Fabregas
What’s the tale?
Como 1907 went from playing in Serie D to Champions League in a decade
Style of play
Possession-based, technical football and emphasis on patient build-up
Players to watch out for: Nico Paz
As recently as 2017, after bankruptcy, Como was staring at a long way back to Italy’s top division. However, things started changing for the good in 2019 when Hartono brothers invested in the project, as the club began its ascend to Serie B.
In 2022, after surviving Serie B’s relegation battle, the club lured in Cesc Fabregas to launch a new exciting project, which kick started Como’s transformation project to top flight. Since then, the Spaniard has transformed the club’s fortunes, bringing it back to Italy’s top flight, with Nico Paz underlining Como’s new world – with 60 million euros spent on bringing the 20-year-old back to Italy.
And they are unlike many football clubs in Italy, with a Spanish touch to their football: more exciting and possession-based style of football with a lot of short intricate passes. Fabregas will yet again return to Camp Nou, not as a player but spearheading a Como outfit in an interesting battle of ideologies.
LASK (Austria)
Manager: Dietmar Kuhbauer
What’s the tale?
LASK overturned a 3-0 deficit to enter the group stage of Champions League, 5-4
Style of play
Physically strong, constant pressing, rapid transition and vertical style of football
Players to watch out for: Samuel Adeniran
LASK's Champions League story was almost over before it had begun. Trailing 0-3 after the first leg of qualification against Celtic FC, the Austrian side not just overturned the contest but also went on to win 5-1 in the second leg, with a crucial goal advantage that took them into the Champions League group stage – its first time.
“I really take my hat off to this team because they basically made the impossible possible. That’s why I’m very, very happy to be the coach of this team,” LASK boss Kuhbauer said after the comeback win over Celtic.
However, LASK or Linzer Athletik-Sport-Klub isn’t a new club. It was founded way back in 1899, as one of the older clubs in Europe but success has been few and far for the Austrian club. Interestingly, it is one of the few clubs in football to not have a sponsor in the club name, and a traditional black and white jersey – which has stood the test of time.
LASK are both the winners of Austrian League and Austrian Cup, and have a solid forward in the form of Samuel Adeniran who scored twice in its comeback win over Celtic. Adeniran scored ten goals last season for LASK, and was only second-best for the club behind the Nigerian winger Moses Usor.
Viking FK – Norway
Manager: Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim & Morten Jensen
What’s the tale?
Another old club (founded 127 years ago) makes it to European football after two decades
Style of play
High-energy style, compact style with a lot of emphasis on defence, fluid offensive transitions
Players to watch out for: Zlatko Tripic
Viking may not be a familiar name to many European football followers, but their continental pedigree tells a different story. Starting from 1972-73, Viking FK have been part of European competitions in 79 games, where they have won 27 games, including famous results against Chelsea (UEFA Cup in 2002-03) and Sporting CP in the same competition three years before.
Nearly after two decades, Viking FK returned to European competition, qualifying for the group stage of the Champions League, besting Dinamo Zagreb – another notable name in European competitions. Viking destroyed the Croatian club 5-3 across two legs, including a 3-1 at home. What sets them apart is the fact that they are used to playing in different conditions, on artificial pitches even, which makes it tough for the European giants to get used to.
Since 2021, another interesting point about the club is it has two head coaches – Aarsheim and Morten Jensen – who have been its focal point. Zlatko Tripic might be the one to watch out for, having been named as Norwegian top-flight Player of the Year in 2024. Do watch out for new signing, Romano Postema, who scored 24 goals in Dutch’s second division last year.
Sabah FK (Azerbaijan)
Manager: Valdas Dambrauskas
What’s the tale?
Formed in 2017, Sabah FK became the second club from Azerbaijan to qualify for Champions League
Style of play
Well-organised, tactically flexible, interchange of positions in attacking third, patient build-up
Players to watch out for: Joy-Lance Mickels
Sabah FK literally has a fairytale to narrate. Ten years ago when Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 5-3 on penalties to lift the Champions League, Sabah FK wasn’t even founded. The club was only founded on 8 September, 2017, and played in front of a capacity crowd of 8.969 people – intensely faithful.
The Azerbaijani club is definitely a threat when it comes to set pieces, with height and movement of the players capable of turning even normal corners into goal opportunities. If not for the Lithuanian version of ‘Who Wants to Be A Millionaire’, Valdas Dambrauskas wouldn’t even have been a coach now.
While it might have had a lucky start, with (fifth-placed) Sabah literally qualifying to Azerbaijan’s first-tier because the top four clubs all failed to get license needed to enter the top division, it has soon since sped up its progress. After winning three qualifying rounds, Sabah faced its toughest against Israeli club, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, against whom it lost 2-1 in the first leg. It drew very late in the second leg, and managed to score twice in extra time to win the second leg 5-2, and qualify to the group stage of the competition 6-4.
Their first ever Champions League will be one of the toughest as they play Barcelona, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United in the league phase.