| Arsenal vs Como | |
| MATCH | Club Friendlies |
| DATE | 13 - 08 - 2026 |
| TIME | 12.00 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Arsenal vs Como Preview: Arteta Faces Fabregas in Final Emirates Test
Arsenal will conclude their pre-season preparations with a fascinating friendly against Serie A surprise package Como at the Emirates Stadium, where former Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas returns to North London as head coach of the Italian club.
The match offers Mikel Arteta one final opportunity to assess his squad before the start of the new Premier League season.
Arsenal searching for rhythm before the season opener
Arsenal’s pre-season has produced mixed results, with the Gunners winning one and losing two of their three official friendlies so far. Their most recent outing ended in a 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, a game that exposed both encouraging attacking moments and some unusual defensive vulnerabilities.
Arteta is unlikely to be overly concerned by the result itself, as the primary focus remains on building fitness, integrating returning internationals and testing tactical ideas ahead of the competitive campaign.
However, there are still clear questions surrounding Arsenal’s attacking options. New striker Viktor Gyokeres scored from the penalty spot against Dortmund, but the Swedish forward found it difficult to link effectively with his teammates and is still adapting to Arteta’s system.
Recent home form also provides a slight warning sign. Although Arsenal won the four Emirates matches before the Dortmund defeat, they have now lost two and drawn one of their last seven games at the stadium. They have scored one goal or fewer in four of those seven matches, even if five clean sheets during that run underline the team’s usual defensive strength.
Fabregas returns to the Emirates with ambitious Como
The biggest storyline may be the return of Cesc Fabregas to the Emirates. The former Arsenal captain spent eight memorable years in North London before later joining Chelsea, making this an emotional occasion for both player and supporters.
Fabregas has quickly built an exciting project at Como. The Italian side finished an impressive fourth in Serie A last season, a remarkable achievement for a club that were playing in Serie D as recently as 2017-18.
Como’s pre-season has been relatively positive, with two wins, one draw and one defeat on penalties. They have scored nine goals in those matches but have also conceded six and are currently on a run of five consecutive games without a clean sheet.
Away from home, Como were one of the strongest teams in Italy during the second half of the 2025-26 season. They ended the campaign with three straight road victories, and only AC Milan and Inter Milan collected more away points overall.
Team news
Arsenal supporters will be particularly eager to see new signing Bruno Guimaraes, who completed a reported £75 million move from Newcastle United last week.
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and David Raya have all returned to training after extended breaks following the World Cup, and each is expected to feature at some stage.
Defensively, Arteta faces significant problems. William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are both set for lengthy spells on the sidelines, meaning a makeshift back line involving Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera is likely to start.
For Como, recent signing Trevoh Chalobah could make his debut after arriving from Chelsea earlier this month.
Fabregas may opt for a midfield featuring Maximo Perrone and Adrian Lahdo, while Assane Diao, Maxence Caqueret, Mattia Liberali and Anastasios Douvikas are expected to provide the attacking threat.
Match prediction
This should be a competitive and entertaining final pre-season test. Arsenal have greater individual quality, but Como’s aggressive pressing and confidence under Fabregas could create problems, particularly against a patched-up Gunners defence.
With both teams still fine-tuning their preparations and neither looking fully settled defensively, goals at both ends appear likely.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Como
Arsenal’s superior attacking talent, combined with the expected involvement of Saka and Rice, should be enough to edge a lively contest, while Como are capable of making a strong impression on their visit to the Emirates.
