Feyenoord and Como brought an attacking edge to the second matchday of the Champions League, with the touchline contest carrying its own Barcelona connection. Gio van Bronckhorst and Cesc Fabregas, both former Blaugrana players, set their sides up to play on the front foot.
A meeting of former Barcelona players
The match offered more than a European fixture between Feyenoord and Como. It also placed two former Barcelona footballers in opposing technical areas, with Van Bronckhorst leading the Dutch club and Fabregas in charge of Como.
- Feyenoord were coached by Gio van Bronckhorst.
- Como were led by Cesc Fabregas.
- Both managers are former Barcelona players.
- The game formed part of the second Champions League matchday.
Attack-minded approaches on a European night
Van Bronckhorst and Fabregas have each built teams around positive, entertaining football, favouring attacking ideas rather than caution. Their approaches were evident in a contest that lived up to the appeal created by the managerial duel.
For Feyenoord and Como, the occasion under the Champions League lights became a showcase for two coaches with shared roots at Barcelona and a similarly ambitious view of the game.
