Serie A Daily Report - 2026-09-10

Como marked their first appearance in European football with a 4-1 home victory over RB Leipzig on Thursday. Martin Baturina opened the scoring before Anastasios Douvikas and Assane Diao extended the lead before the hour mark, while Máximo Perrone completed the rout shortly before full-time. Leipzig scored once through Andrija Maksimovic, but the result remained one of the biggest nights in the club’s 119-year history. Como qualified for the competition after finishing fourth in Serie A last season, ahead of Juventus and AC Milan, and played the match at a reduced-capacity Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

Cesc Fàbregas described himself as honoured to become the first Como coach in the Champions League, but immediately turned attention towards the domestic campaign. According to Football Italia, he said Como had to maintain the same mentality every three days, with Parma next on Monday. The victory showed that the side’s progress has not depended solely on its established names, as all four Como goals came from players who were already at the club last season. The result also made Como the sole Italian winner during Matchday 1, giving their European adventure an emphatic start while raising expectations for their Serie A season.

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Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay underwent heart surgery in Manchester after the club confirmed he had been diagnosed with a mild arrhythmia, according to Futbol Chronicle. The report said Napoli described the operation as completely successful and expected the Scotland international to resume training within two weeks. A return was being targeted for after the international break. McTominay became a central figure in Napoli’s title-winning campaign last season, scoring the opening goal on the day the club secured the Scudetto, making the timing of the health issue particularly significant for the reigning Serie A champions.

Napoli’s handling of the situation suggested the problem was being treated promptly rather than allowed to disrupt the midfielder’s longer-term development. McTominay had moved from Manchester United and quickly established himself as a title hero in Naples, so his availability remains important to the club’s ambitions. The projected recovery timetable would give Napoli a defined target as they balance domestic fixtures with their wider campaign. His return after the international break would restore an influential presence to a midfield that has already lost the benefit of his physicality and attacking contribution during the opening phase of the season.

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Como completed the signing of 17-year-old Bohemians striker Josh Harpur for an undisclosed fee, Anglo Celt reported on Thursday. The Kingscourt teenager will initially join Como’s Under-20 squad rather than the senior side. Harpur began as a goalkeeper before moving to centre-forward at 11 and developed through Kingscourt Harps, the CMUL academy, Shelbourne and Drogheda United before joining Bohemians in 2024. He made his first-team debut in the FAI Cup against Killester-Donnycarney in July 2025, aged 15, and later appeared in the League of Ireland against Derry City.

The move represents another investment in young talent for a Como club whose rise has now reached the Champions League. Harpur signed his first professional contract with Bohemians in December 2025 and attracted Italian attention through his progress at Dalymount Park. The Republic of Ireland Under-17 international has seven caps and three goals for his country, giving Como a developing forward with experience beyond academy football. His immediate task will be adapting to the Italian game and competing at Under-20 level, while the undisclosed fee allows the club to develop him without placing premature expectations on his senior involvement.

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Mauricio Isla announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 38, ending a 19-year career, according to Yardbarker. The Chilean right-back’s final club was Colo-Colo, where he played from July 2024 until leaving in January 2026. In Italy, Isla represented Udinese, Juventus and Cagliari, while his wider club career also included spells with Independiente, Flamengo, Fenerbahçe, Marseille and Queens Park Rangers. Yardbarker reported that he finished with 563 club appearances and 19 goals, alongside 144 international caps for Chile.

Isla’s strongest Serie A legacy came at Juventus, where he won two league titles and three Italian Super Cups during his time in Turin. His honours also included two Copa América triumphs with Chile in 2015 and 2016, as well as major trophies with Flamengo and Colo-Colo. In a social-media message quoted by Yardbarker, Isla thanked the clubs and people who supported him throughout his career. His retirement closes the chapter on a versatile full-back whose career connected Italian football with successful spells across South America and Europe.

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Jonathan Rowe said joining Atalanta could help him pursue his ambitions of playing Champions League football and representing England, during his introductory press conference on Thursday. The English forward joined from Bologna at the end of the summer transfer window in a deal worth €40 million including the loan fee and conditional obligation to buy, according to Yahoo Sports Canada. The arrangement could therefore become permanent if its conditions are met. Rowe told reporters he was very happy to have completed the move after what he described as a long journey over recent weeks.

Rowe also rejected direct comparisons with Ademola Lookman, warning Atalanta supporters that he was a different type of player. His arrival gives Maurizio Sarri another attacking option after Atalanta began the Serie A season with six points from their first three matches, including victories over Sassuolo and Bologna and a 2-1 defeat by Roma. The size of the potential deal indicates the club view Rowe as a significant long-term investment. His challenge will be to translate his Bologna form into a side adjusting to Sarri’s methods and competing for European qualification.

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Sassuolo midfielder Cristian Volpato was fined 722 Australian dollars after police said he tested positive for cocaine, The Shillong Times reported. The incident followed a roadside stop by New South Wales police on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge on 24 July, when a second sample was also said to have returned a positive result. Volpato, who switched his international allegiance from Italy to Australia before the World Cup, maintained his innocence when questioned by Football Australia staff. He also undertook a test after returning to Italy, which Sassuolo officials said was negative.

The 22-year-old will face no further action in Australia after receiving the fine, according to the report. Volpato had played three matches for Sassuolo this season and remained part of the club’s Serie A squad while the matter was addressed. The case adds an off-field issue to the early stages of his campaign, although the reported outcome was financial rather than a sporting suspension. Volpato’s international background has already attracted attention, and the episode is likely to keep scrutiny on the midfielder as he continues his career in Italy.

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