“The lake and football”: how Como 1907 wants to become the king of sports tourism
Since its acquisition by Indonesian billionaires, Como FC, a football club with a modest history, has continued to rise through the ranks. The project surrounding this team is not only linked to football, but also to a more ambitious mission: to combine holiday tourism and football to exploit the full potential of the Lake Como region.
“The wakes of the boats slowly cut through the lake, everything is a swarm of lights around the tree-covered mountains. The setting is incredibly blue and white, like the club jerseys and the flags floating in the air. It’s a spectacle of nature and architecture. I look around me, and I say to myself: ‘Yes, the most beautiful stadium in the world is undoubtedly this one.’ ”
It is through this slightly pompous description that the reporter from Il Foglio describes the spectacle surrounding him on match day from the Giuseppe Sinigaglia, the stadium of the Como club. A modest team accustomed to the lower divisions of Italian football, Como 1907 has become, since its acquisition by Michael and Robert Hartono, Indonesian billionaires, a team capable of playing spoilsport in Serie A.
Last year, led from the bench by former Spain midfield star Cesc Fàbregas, the team finished in a very respectable 10th place, and this year, to aim even higher, Como's owners have invested more than €100 million. Taking into account the balance between player sales and purchases, they are simply the team that has spent the most money in Serie A.
The Hartono Brothers
Courrier International
