According to a report by BBC Sport on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Nico Paz produced an exceptional display for Como in their UEFA Champions League clash against Manchester United, earning the Player of the Match award after helping his team secure a convincing 4-1 victory over Michael Carrick’s side.

The Argentine attacking midfielder was instrumental in Como’s success at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, scoring twice and registering an assist. His outstanding performance exposed Manchester United’s defensive weaknesses and helped the Italian club record an impressive result against their English opponents.

Paz gave Como the perfect start by opening the scoring in the second minute. After receiving a pass from Lucas da Cunha, the former Real Madrid player created space outside the penalty area before curling a precise left-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

The early breakthrough immediately put Manchester United under pressure, allowing Como to play with greater confidence and control the tempo of the encounter. United struggled to establish dominance in midfield, while their defensive line repeatedly found it difficult to contain the hosts’ attacking movements.

Paz continued to influence proceedings through his intelligent positioning, technical quality and ability to create opportunities for his teammates. His creativity became particularly important shortly after the interval when Como increased their advantage.

In the 49th minute, the midfielder delivered an excellent pass to Anastasios Douvikas, who finished confidently to make it 2-0. The assist further demonstrated Paz’s ability to combine individual brilliance with effective teamwork.

Eight minutes later, Paz capitalised on a misplaced pass from Manchester United midfielder Carlos Baleba. He moved towards the penalty area and calmly beat Lammens, scoring his second goal of the night and extending Como’s lead to three goals.

His contribution left United facing an increasingly difficult challenge as Como continued to exploit gaps in their opponents’ defensive structure.

The Italian side added another goal in the 76th minute when Jacobo Ramon headed home a cross from Kaiki Bruno, making the score 4-0 and strengthening Como’s control of the match.

Manchester United eventually scored a consolation goal in the 90th minute through Joshua Zirkzee, who converted an opportunity created by substitute Amad Diallo. However, the late effort could not prevent a heavy defeat.

Paz’s two goals and assist established him as the central figure in Como’s victory. The 22-year-old, who previously developed at Real Madrid, continues to build his reputation as an exciting attacking midfielder in European football.

His performance against Manchester United demonstrated his goalscoring ability, vision and composure under pressure. By combining creativity with clinical finishing, Paz delivered a memorable Champions League display and played a decisive role in Como’s emphatic 4-1 triumph.