Como reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 40 years, knocking out holders Napoli after a 1-1 draw and a 7-6 penalty shoot-out. Stanislav Lobotka missed in sudden death, with goalkeeper Jean Butez diving to his right to save, sending Cesc Fabregas' side through and ending Napoli's title defence at the quarter-final stage.
The shoot-out carried huge pressure after 90 tense minutes, and both teams converted their first penalties. Romelu Lukaku then dragged his effort wide of the right post, handing Como the initial advantage. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic immediately responded for Napoli, saving from Maximo Perrone to level the contest again and extend the drama.
The sequence of kicks stayed perfect for eight further attempts, adding
to the sense of tension inside the stadium. Milinkovic-Savic even scored one of those spot-kicks in bizarre fashion, as his shot hit the crossbar, bounced off the back of Butez's head, struck the post, and finally crossed the line. Lobotka then became the decisive figure, with Butez reading his effort and parrying.
Earlier, Como had been the sharper side before the interval and were rewarded on 39 minutes. Martin Baturina converted a penalty after the referee ruled that Mathias Olivera had fouled Ivan Smolcic at the far post. Smolcic tried to turn in a low cross, went down under contact, and the decision allowed Baturina to send Como in front.
Napoli reacted straight after half-time, equalising just 44 seconds into the second period. Rasmus Hojlund flicked the ball on and Antonio Vergara sprinted clear, keeping composure to finish calmly. The game then opened up, with both sides creating chances yet unable to settle the tie inside normal time despite several dangerous attacks.
Como continued to threaten on the break, while Napoli pushed forward searching for a late winner. Nico Paz produced a crucial defensive moment for Como, clearing in front of the goalmouth as Napoli closed in. At the opposite end, Milinkovic-Savic had to stay concentrated, denying Mergim Vojvoda with an important stop to preserve the 1-1 scoreline.
Statistically, Fabregas' Como side held the edge over Napoli across the 90 minutes. Como recorded nine shots to Napoli's eight, with four on target compared to three. They also had 15 touches in the opposition box, while Napoli managed nine. Expected goals figures reflected that balance, with Como posting 1.08 xG against Napoli's 0.58.
Como's achievement recalls their last Coppa Italia semi-final appearance in 1985-86, when they eliminated Juventus and then holders Hellas Verona before facing Sampdoria. That tie ended in controversy after Sampdoria scored an extra-time equaliser in the second leg, with crowd trouble leading to abandonment and Sampdoria being awarded victory.
Forty years after that campaign, Como will now meet Serie A leaders Inter in the semi-finals, carrying strong momentum from this win over Napoli. The result ends the holders' hopes of retaining the Coppa Italia and underlines how effectively Como managed key moments, both in open play and during the decisive penalty shoot-out.
A historic night for the BiancoBlu pic.twitter.com/ImA1NSNJqXComo1907 (@Como_1907) February 10, 2026
Key match numbers from the Coppa Italia quarter-final between Como and Napoli are shown below.
