Côme produced the kind of night that changes the tone of a campaign, sweeping aside RC Lens 7-1 at Bollaert-Delelis on the fourth matchday of the Champions League league phase. The headline was Douvikas' hat-trick, but the wider story was Côme's control, their ruthlessness, and the fact that Cesc Fabregas was able to rest his best players and still leave with a result that felt emphatic from the opening half-hour.
Lens had arrived with only three points and on the back of two consecutive defeats, but this was far more severe than a simple bad night. Côme, who had already beaten Manchester United 4-1 before this match, looked determined to keep progressing and to keep dreaming again in the Champions League. They also started the evening two points behind eighth place, which gave the trip to France real importance beyond the scoreline itself.
Douvikas set the tone early
The match was effectively settled long before the hour mark. Douvikas opened the scoring in the 7th minute, then added his second in the 32nd minute to put Côme in complete command. By the 40th minute Nico Paz had joined in, later dedicating his goal to Jesus de Miguel, and the visitors were already in full control at the break.
What followed after half-time only deepened the damage. Da Cunha scored in the 46th minute, Kempf added another in the 53rd minute, and Liberali made it six in the 62nd minute. Aguilar replied for Lens in the 65th minute, but by then the contest had long since been decided.
Fabregas could rotate and still dominate
One of the most striking details was Fabregas' team selection. He rested his best players, yet Côme still produced a performance that overwhelmed Lens in every phase. That will matter as the league phase continues, because it suggests the squad has enough depth to handle a demanding schedule without losing its edge.
For Lens, the result adds to a harsher story that has been building in recent weeks. For Côme, it was a statement win on a night when they not only scored seven, but did so with a clear sense of purpose. The next question is whether they can carry this momentum into the next round of the competition and keep strengthening their place in the 2026/2027 league phase.
The scale of the result also underlines how quickly a team can shift from promising to vulnerable at this level, something supporters will recognise from other uneven nights involving RC Lens, including the kind of harsh table reality reflected in the debate around Rc Lens Vs Olympique Lyon Standings: the table tells a harsher story than the reputation race. This was another reminder that reputation counts for little if the structure breaks down early.
