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Juventus and AC Milan failed to qualify for the Champions League, marking the first time in nearly 35 years that neither club will feature in Europe’s elite competition.
In contrast, Como secured a historic Champions League qualification after finishing fourth, completing a remarkable rise from the amateur tiers less than a decade ago.
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Since the rebranding of the European Cup in 1992–93, at least one of Juventus or AC Milan had always participated in the competition.
The absence of both clubs highlights a turbulent season for Italian football, coming shortly after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
Juventus have also undergone major off-field changes, appointing former Liverpool sporting director Damien Comolli as chief executive following the departure of Maurizio Scanavino last year.
Comolli, who had previously overseen the club’s sporting operations after Cristiano Giuntoli’s exit, initially took charge of Juventus’ broader administrative structure.
However, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Comolli is no longer Juventus CEO, bringing his short tenure in the role to an end.
Giovanni Carnevali is set to become the new Juventus CEO, replacing Comolli. Carnevali is widely regarded as one of Italian football’s most respected executives, known for his long-term leadership at Sassuolo Calcio.
Giovanni Carnevali has decades of experience in club management, player development, smart recruitment, and financial stability. He joined Sassuolo in the early 2010s during a key period in the club’s rise through the Italian football pyramid.
He played a central role in transforming Sassuolo from a lower-league side into a well-established Serie A club. He has held roles including CEO, General Manager, and Chairman, overseeing youth development, first-team operations, and the club’s commercial strategy.
Sassuolo became widely known for its strong scouting network and ability to develop young talents before selling them for significant profit.
Under Carnevali’s leadership, the club established itself as a consistent Serie A side, even achieving European qualification while maintaining financial stability and careful long-term planning.
He also oversaw investment in modern facilities and supported the club’s emphasis on sustainable growth, with Sassuolo often cited as a model for well-run clubs in Italian football alongside Juventus for aspects of their structural planning.
Damien Comolli joined Liverpool in 2010, however, he left the club by mutual consent in 2012. During his time at Anfield, he oversaw a major spending period that included the signings of Andy Carroll for £35million and Luis Suárez for £22.7million.
Other arrivals under his watch included Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson, with the club committing a combined £36million for the pair.
Comolli’s appointment marked his return to the Premier League after previously serving as Tottenham Hotspur’s director of football, a role he left in 2008.
His time in north London was controversial, including tensions with then-manager Martin Jol, who claimed Comolli recruited players without his approval before Jol’s dismissal.
After leaving Tottenham, Comolli returned to AS Saint-Etienne, where he had previously worked as technical director in 2004, before later moving to Liverpool to rebuild his reputation in English football.
Earlier in his career, he worked in AS Monaco’s youth setup after a modest playing career, before earning his coaching licence and beginning his rise in recruitment and scouting.
He also worked at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, initially as a European scout, and was credited with involvement in identifying players such as Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, and Gael Clichy. At Liverpool, Comolli worked initially alongside manager Roy Hodgson and later Kenny Dalglish.