O Tudo Igual, a Portuguese sports publication, dedicated a chronicle to the qualifying phase for the Champions League. The highlight was the tie between Aston Villa and Como, two teams with very different paths in the European competition. The chronicle came after the 2024/25 group stage, when both teams were close to qualification.
Aston Villa became European champions in 1982, in a final played in Rotterdam. Since the 2000/01 season, the English team had not returned to the Champions League, and this participation in the 2024/25 edition represents only the second time in the club's history in the main European competition.
In contrast, Como, an Italian team, has never participated in the Champions League. The chronicle by O Tudo Igual suggests that, despite Aston Villa's return after decades of absence, it is Como that sparks greater interest, precisely due to its status as an absolute newcomer to the competition.
