142 FROM AUTOSTRADA TO ULTRAS...

What better way to spend an afternoon on a rally across Europe than at an, erm, football match?! As part of the route we visit Menaggio on the shores of Lake Como which got me thinking; are there any local teams we can visit and are there any games on?

The good news is that there is a local team, Como 1907, very much a David in a league full of Goliaths, as this tiny team is holding its own in Serie A, currently occupying a very respectable 10th position, nestled between Fiorentina and Torino. As I write this, they are the most in-form team in the Italian top flight, winning their last five games.

The club is co-owned by Thierry Henry and Cesc Fàbregas, who also manages the side, which includes former Everton midfielder Dele Alli and Liverpool players Pepe Reina and Alberto Moreno. The team also includes Real Madrid loanee Nico Paz and former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Sergi Roberto.

The team play at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, a charming old stadium nestled between the lake and the chaos of the tiny town rubbing right up to it.

It is a unique design, blending Roman amphitheatre vibes with shabby chic. Hey, at least it isn't just another soulless bowl...

As this is Italy, they do scran properly; I'm reliably told that the scent of fresh focaccia and calamari wafts through the concourse at halftime. They offer a "Calcio Combo", which includes a hot dog, espresso, and a shot of grappa. Have this, and you won't remember much of the second half!

Post-match, instead of heading to a cramped pre-war boozer selling pints of watered-down generic lager, fans can head to a lakeside cafe for an Aperol Spritz and take in the stunning views of the lake and the mountains surrounding it.

I reckon visiting Como 1907 is a motoring pilgrimage I never knew I needed. It ticks many boxes for me, including Italian football, mad driving in tiny streets, and some serious carb-loading.