Italian women’s teams in Europe lack self-confidence; they get nervous even before the match begins. And if they start strongly – as Roma did when they literally dominated Real Madrid – at a certain point they almost feel guilty, and they slip back into the depths of despair.

The four defeats in four matches suffered by Italian sides in the Champions League are a reflection of mediocre football that, at best, is content to win the prize for the best ‘head-held-high’ performance of the season

Roma, Inter and Napoli are at the bottom of the table, whilst Como remain in the play-off zone. The four defeats are setting alarm bells ringing, but there are still six matches left to turn things round

Como won, Roma drew, whilst Inter and Napoli lost. From Fàbregas’s entanglement to Allegri’s reverse ‘cortomusismo’

The team managed by Cesc Fàbregas beat Leipzig 4–1. Admittedly, the German side is a team under reconstruction and still a long way from finding its balance, but Laghée’s side were making their absolute debut on the big European stage and played without any first-time nerves.

The Gunners are in Naples for their first Champions League away fixture. However, the comparison between the two clubs appears unfavourable for the Azzurri, particularly in terms of facilities rather than results.

Before the advent of the ‘Greater Europe’, Como faced Mitteleuropa in the Mitropa Cup 46 years ago, a tournament that was once highly prestigious before it was downgraded to a minor cup competition and eventually disappeared altogether