Arsenal v Como Preview: Final Test Before Manchester City Clash

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·12 August 2026

Arsenal v Como Preview: Final Test Before Manchester City Clash

Arsenal bring their pre-season preparations to a close tonight when they welcome Cesc Fabregas and his Como side to the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners face the Italian outfit at 7.30pm on Wednesday evening, just four days before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley.

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Following the 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup on Sunday, Mikel Arteta will have more senior players available as he looks to get valuable minutes into his squad ahead of the first competitive fixture of the new campaign.

It will also be the first-ever meeting between Arsenal and Como.

Arsenal team news and returning World Cup players

Arteta has been boosted by the return of several players following their extended breaks after the World Cup.

David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have now all returned to Arsenal training.

Raya should therefore be in contention to return in goal against Como, while we may also see Zubimendi and Merino after the pair played limited minutes at the World Cup.

Rice and Saka are less likely to feature at this stage, but there could potentially be minutes for Eberechi Eze and Madueke as Arteta gradually brings his returning players back into action.

New summer recruit Christos Tzolis has enjoyed a blinding pre-season with several goal involvements, so hopefully we’ll see him in action again today.

We could also get our first look at Arsenal’s most recent addition to the squad, Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazilian potentially in line for some minutes against Como.

Jurrien Timber “is still weeks away” according to Arteta, despite returning to training, while William Saliba is expected to be sidelined for several months.

With Manchester City waiting at the Principality Stadium on Sunday, Arteta will need to balance giving his senior players enough minutes with ensuring nobody is pushed too quickly after their summer exertions.

(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Fabregas returns to the Emirates with Como

There will naturally be plenty of attention on the opposition dugout as former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas returns to the Emirates as Como boss.

As we discussed on Just Arsenal ahead of the game, Fabregas’ relationship with Arsenal supporters remains an interesting one. Some have never forgotten the circumstances surrounding his departure for Barcelona, while others will remember the outstanding football he produced during more than 300 appearances for the Gunners.

On the pitch, Como should provide Arsenal with a useful final pre-season test.

Fabregas guided the Italian side to a historic campaign last season, culminating in qualification for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

Their squad also contains some familiar names, including former Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and ex-Chelsea, Real Madrid and Juventus striker Alvaro Morata.

Nico Paz will be another player for Arsenal to watch. The attacking midfielder scored 13 goals across all competitions last season, while Tasos Douvikas led Como’s scoring with 17.

One final test before Manchester City

The result will naturally matter to supporters, particularly after Sunday’s defeat, but getting the squad closer to full fitness should be the priority.

This is Arteta’s final opportunity to assess his players in a friendly before the intensity increases considerably against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

With several World Cup players only just returning to training, tonight could also give us our first indication of how Arteta intends to reintegrate them ahead of the new season.

Arsenal v Como kicks off at 7.30pm at the Emirates Stadium, with the game available to watch for free on Arsenal’s YouTube channel.

Arsenal face Manchester City on Sunday, 16th August at 3pm. Hopefully Arsenal’s performance tonight will stand us in good stead for that clash.

What would you like to see from Arsenal today? Are you more interested in the result, or simply seeing the returning players get some minutes before Manchester City? Let us know in the comments.

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