Arsenal 1-1 Como (Arsenal win on penalties) in final pre-season friendly on 12 August 2026
Arsenal drew 1-1 with Italian side Como in a pre-season friendly at Arsenal on 12 August 2026 before prevailing in a penalty shootout, concluding their preparation for the new campaign.
Arsenal’s pre-season finished with just one win across all their warm-up matches, a run the article describes as one of the club’s most overwhelming since they won the title last campaign. The north Londoners frequently struggled to maintain defensive solidity during these fixtures, and the team’s performances did not resemble those of a reigning champion. The result against Como continued a pattern of conceding avoidable goals in regular time and left unfinished questions over the back line. The piece notes these issues arrive ahead of the Community Shield.
Arsenal dominated large portions of the first half and created enough openings that the report says could have produced a three- or four-goal lead, but the side lacked clinical finishing. Myles Lewis-Skelly opened the scoring for Arsenal, giving them the lead during the period when they controlled the early flow of the match.
Como’s equaliser came before halftime through Martin Baturina, whose solo effort the article describes as "sublime" and "incredible", cancelling out Lewis-Skelly’s opener and changing the momentum going into the break. The report highlights that Arsenal were punished for missing earlier chances when Como levelled the score.
The piece emphasises recurring defensive vulnerabilities throughout Arsenal’s pre-season, saying opponents had "barely a hard time scoring goals" against them and that the team conceded soft goals. It records issues including players caught out of position, conceded long-range strikes and careless errors in build-up play as contributing to those frailties.
Cesc Fàbregas was on the touchline for Como when the Spanish midfielder faced his former club; the article states he spent half of his career at Arsenal. It adds that, since becoming a Serie A coach, Fàbregas "has done an impressive job" and "will be looking to deliver such brilliant results next season."
The match finished 1-1 in regular time before Arsenal secured victory in the subsequent penalty shootout, closing their final pre-season run-out ahead of the Community Shield.
