Braunöder club

Promoted Como amazes with celebrities in the stands

Keira Knightley and Hugh Grant are "bought-in fans" of Branöder club Como.(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

Serie A promoted Como has the celebrity factor! With "bought-in" fans, Matthias Braunöder's club also wants to attract international attention.

In sporting terms, Como is fighting against relegation in its first season in Serie A for the time being, but in the stands the club is already an unprecedented number in Italy's top flight. Thanks to the actors who have honored the club at home games this season - including Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley and Kate Beckinsale.

A celebrity factor that even the big clubs like Inter or Juve cannot offer. No coincidence, but part of an expensive marketing strategy: Como Calcio is owned by the Indonesian brothers Robert Budi and Michael Bambang, who have a fortune of 50 billion dollars and have led the club from the fourth to the first division since 2019.

Prominent names
And prioritize prominent names such as coach Cesc Fàbregas and investor Thierry Henry. To further raise the club's profile, the aforementioned superstars are flown in to spend a well-paid weekend in luxury on idyllic Lake Como, where fellow actor George Clooney owns a villa - including a trip to the 14,000-capacity Stadio Sinigaglia.

With a fee like that, (feigned) enthusiasm is a must: Grant was just as verbose and gesticulating in the stands as Knightley was during Sunday's 2-0 win over AS Roma - Vienna's Matthias Braunöder only watched the action from the bench for the victors.

Mirwan Suwarso, who is responsible for the star-studded crowd on behalf of the Indonesian owners, announces further celebrities: "We always want to offer our fans added value, something that goes beyond soccer."