Arsenal face Cesc Fabregas’ Como in their final pre-season friendly, with Bruno Guimaraes and several World Cup returnees pushing for minutes.
Arsenal have one final opportunity to sharpen up before the competitive football begins, with Cesc Fabregas bringing Como to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Back-to-back defeats have left Arsenal with plenty to ponder. A 3-1 loss to Real Betis was followed by a 3-2 loss against Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup, with six goals conceded across those two games. It’s hardly ideal preparation, though Arteta has had to juggle a disrupted pre-season and a squad returning in dribs and drabs after the World Cup.
This week, though, the squad could have a very different look.
Bukayo Saka and David Raya were both back ahead of schedule at the weekend, and after the Dortmund game, Arteta confirmed that all of Arsenal’s World Cup internationals would be back in training from Monday. Not all will be ready for Wednesday, but this is the last chance to get minutes into their legs before the Community Shield against Manchester City looms on Sunday.
Como, meanwhile, are no soft touch. Fabregas guided the Italian club to a historic first Champions League qualification last season, and they arrive in North London with momentum and ambition after another busy summer.
Arsenal Team News
The biggest question surrounds how many of Arsenal’s returning World Cup players Arteta is prepared to involve.
Several were missing against Dortmund after receiving extended breaks, but Arteta revealed that Saka and Raya had already returned slightly ahead of schedule.
“Tomorrow everybody will be available to start the training program,” Arteta said after Sunday’s defeat, while stressing that players are returning at “very different stages” depending on how much football they played at the World Cup.
The players returning to training at Sobha Realty Training Centre do not automatically mean they are ready for 60 or 90 minutes against Como.
Bruno Guimaraes is another name to watch. The £75 million signing was unveiled to the Emirates crowd before the Dortmund match, and Arteta has already praised the energy he’s brought to training. Whether he features on Wednesday remains to be seen.
Defensively, Arsenal are still without two key options.
Jurrien Timber has returned to light training on the pitch, but Arteta says he is still weeks away from a return. William Saliba is also still recovering from the back injury he picked up at the World Cup, with no clear timeline for either player’s comeback.
Como Form and Team News
Como make the trip to the Emirates as a club on the rise under former Arsenal captain Fabregas.
Their Champions League qualification capped a remarkable 2025/26 season, and preparations for their European debut have included hosting the Como Cup back in Italy.
Fabregas’ side beat AlUla 3-1 in their opening appearance, drew with Villarreal before losing the resulting penalty shootout, then defeated Famalicao 3-2 to finish third. Tasos Douvikas scored twice in that latter game, with Assane Diao also on target.
Fabregas has also moved to strengthen his squad further just before heading to London.
Como confirmed on Sunday the permanent signing of England international Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea, with the 27-year-old agreeing a contract until 2031. Fabregas described him as a player capable of bringing “strength, speed and personality” to his defence, although Como have not confirmed whether the centre-back will make his debut at the Emirates.
What to Expect
The focus will continue to be less on the scoreline and more on how the returning internationals look.
The Gunners have looked a little disjointed in recent outings, but it’s hardly surprising given the number of players Arteta has been juggling at very different stages of fitness. Some have had a full pre-season, while others are only just back from World Cup duty.
Wednesday night is Arteta’s last real chance to bring those groups closer together before facing City.
There’s also the prospect of a first glimpse of Guimaraes in Arsenal colours. His versatility opens up plenty of midfield options for Arteta, but for now, it’s more about helping the Brazilian settle in than figuring out his long-term role.
Defensively, Arsenal’s performance will be under the microscope as well.
The Gunners conceded three first-half goals against Betis before allowing Dortmund another three at the Emirates. Arteta described the goals against Dortmund as poor and stressed that the responsibility was collective, not something he would pin on an individual defender.
There were brighter signs in attack on Sunday. Ethan Nwaneri scored, Viktor Gyokeres converted a penalty, whilst Christos Tzolis continued what has been a promising pre-season in an Arsenal shirt.
With Saka and other senior internationals now back in the mix, the fight for attacking places is only going to intensify.
When Is Arsenal vs Como?
Arsenal host Como at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, with kick-off scheduled for 7.30pm BST.
It is Arsenal’s final pre-season friendly before facing Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Sunday.
How to Watch Arsenal vs Como
The match will be shown live on Arsenal’s official YouTube channel, with kick-off at 7.30pm BST on Wednesday.
Como represent a genuine test for Arsenal rather than a routine final friendly.
The Gunners should have more senior options available than they did against Dortmund, but with City just four days away, managing minutes will remain the priority.
Ending this run of pre-season defeats before heading to Cardiff would do the Gunners no harm at all.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Como