An emotional return for a Gunners icon

Cesc Fabregas, the beloved former Arsenal captain, is heading back to north London this summer, this time as the man in charge of Italian side Como. The friendly match at the Emirates Stadium is scheduled for August 12 at 19:30 BST and will see the Spanish tactician lead his Serie A outfit onto the pitch where he made his name. Fabregas broke into Arsenal’s first team in 2003 and spent eight glittering years at the club before moving to Barcelona, becoming a firm fan favourite in the process. Now, as head coach of Como, he returns to a place that still holds a special place in his heart.

A historic first meeting in north London

Despite Fabregas’ deep connections to both clubs, this will be the very first encounter between Arsenal and Como, regardless of the occasion. The match has generated plenty of buzz among supporters on both sides, with the Italian outfit eager to see how their squad stacks up against Mikel Arteta’s formidable side. “Como 1907 will travel to the Emirates Stadium this summer to face Arsenal, the reigning English champions and Champions League finalists, in a pre-season friendly,” the club confirmed in an official statement. “This match marks the first-ever meeting between Como 1907 and Arsenal, and will give the Lariani a chance to experience the magical and iconic setting of the Emirates Stadium.”

Champions League preparations for Como

Last season, Como secured a stunning top-four finish in Serie A, edging out heavyweights like AC Milan and Juventus to punch their ticket to Europe’s elite competition. The club is now investing heavily to stay competitive on all fronts, having recently splashed out €60 million to keep star playmaker Nico Paz, who was on loan from Real Madrid. “For the BiancoBlu, this will be an excellent opportunity to test themselves against one of the strongest and most consistent teams in Europe, ahead of a season that sees Como 1907 compete in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history,” the statement continued. “Fans will be able to purchase general admission tickets for this match; further information regarding ticketing will be released in due course via the club’s official channels.”

Building up for an intense 2026-2027 season

The friendly comes at a perfect time for both teams: it takes place exactly ten days before Como kick off their Serie A campaign away at Udinese, and just nine days before Arsenal begin the defence of their Premier League title against Coventry City. The Gunners will look to use this match to sharpen their weapons for another dominant domestic season. The Emirates crowd is expected to give Fabregas a rousing welcome, but once the whistle blows, all eyes will be on whether his team can hold their own against these English heavyweights.