Rio Ferdinand Mourns as Como Thrash Manchester United 4-1
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has criticised his former club after they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Manchester United, managed by Michael Carrick, struggled against the Italian side coached by former Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who guided Como to an impressive victory.
Reacting to the result, Ferdinand said Como made Manchester United look like a team that had won a raffle to play in the Champions League.
He also praised Fabregas for building a well-organised team, while expressing disappointment with United’s performance.
“Cesc Fabregas’ Como have made us look like a team who had won a RAFFLE to be in the Champions League,” Ferdinand wrote.
“At times it looked as though Como had 12 players on the pitch.
“We were TOOTHLESS in attack. NO running power in the team. An INABILITY to press Como. NO patterns in possession.”
Ferdinand gave credit to Fabregas for the way he has built Como and helped his players understand their roles on the pitch.
“A lot of credit has to go to Cesc and the way he has built this team & then you see the way he has got his ideas into this team,” he added.
“Everyone knows their jobs and are dialled in in and out of possession.
“They play to teammates under pressure – a great example of trust in one another.”
However, the former England international insisted that Como’s impressive performance did not excuse Manchester United’s poor display.
“But that is no excuse for us, we were poor on the night and look a team on zero confidence right now – so much to do to turn this around….and I haven’t even got onto the injuries!” he wrote.
Ferdinand also questioned the difference between the two clubs, given their financial resources.
“The difference in budgets certainly wasn’t reflected in the difference between the two teams on the pitch!” he said.
He concluded his reaction by praising Como midfielder Nico Paz, describing him as a “lovely footballer”.
The defeat is another difficult moment for Manchester United, who must find a way to improve their performances as the Champions League campaign continues.
Meanwhile, Como’s victory will boost their confidence and highlight the progress Fabregas has made in building a team capable of competing against Europe’s biggest clubs.
