Arsenal will host Como 1907 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, in a pre-season friendly that gives Mikel Arteta another chance to fine-tune his squad ahead of the new campaign, though he is expected to be without two of his most important attacking players. According to the Daily Mail's Isaan Khan, as relayed by Daily Cannon, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are likely to be left out of the matchday squad as they continue working their way back to full fitness following their post-World Cup break.
The Emirates Cup runner-up is coming off two surprising defeats in its warm-up schedule. Arsenal lost 3-1 to Real Betis in Ireland before falling 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the final of the Emirates Cup, according to Sports Illustrated. Those results have added a bit of urgency to Arteta's preparations as he looks to have his squad sharp before the season's real business begins.
Como, by contrast, arrives in good form. The Serie A club managed by Cesc Fabregas beat Portugal's Famalicao in its most recent warm-up match, Sports Illustrated reported. The Italian side is using this stretch of friendlies to measure its progress against Premier League opposition as it prepares for a landmark season that will include its first-ever appearance in the Champions League.
Who Is Available For Arsenal
While Rice and Saka are expected to sit out, Eberechi Eze is in line to feature, according to Daily Cannon. Eze played fewer minutes than either Rice or Saka at the World Cup and also logged the least club football among the three during the 2025-26 season, which may explain why Arsenal's medical and fitness staff feel more comfortable easing him back into contention sooner.
There is also growing expectation that Bruno Guimaraes could see the pitch. The Brazilian midfielder had been doing individual work with Arsenal's fitness coaches last week before joining a lighter team session on the Emirates pitch following Sunday's match against Borussia Dortmund, Daily Cannon reported. The most likely scenario for both Eze and Guimaraes, according to the outlet, is a similar approach to other late-returning Arsenal players this summer: roughly 30 minutes of action on Wednesday designed to build up their fitness for a possible start in the club's next fixture.
As of the latest reporting, there was no confirmed update on Noni Madueke's availability, nor on the club's Spanish internationals who have also returned late from their own breaks following the World Cup.
A Tight Turnaround Before the Community Shield
The friendly against Como is not just about testing tactics against unfamiliar opposition. It is also the last meaningful match Arsenal will play before facing Manchester City in the Community Shield, followed shortly after by the club's Premier League opener against Coventry City. That compressed schedule leaves Arteta and his staff with very little room to get World Cup-bound England and Spain internationals up to speed, since those players only rejoined full training in the last four or five days, according to Daily Cannon.
The encouraging news for Arsenal is that, outside of two notable absentees, the squad should largely be back together on the training ground. William Saliba and Jurrien Timber remain the exceptions. Timber is doing individual training as he works his way back from injury, while Saliba is currently in a period of complete rest intended to let a back injury settle before he resumes any football activity, Daily Cannon reported.
How To Watch Arsenal vs Como
The match kicks off at the Emirates Stadium in London on Wednesday, August 12, at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time in the United States, which corresponds to 12:30 p.m. in Mexico and 8:30 p.m. in Spain, according to Sports Illustrated.
Broadcast availability differs sharply by country. Fans in Mexico have a confirmed way to watch, with Disney+ Premium Mexico set to carry the match live, Sports Illustrated reported. The picture is far less clear for viewers elsewhere. As of Sports Illustrated's reporting, no official broadcast or streaming option had been confirmed for audiences in either the United States or Spain, meaning fans in those markets were being advised to watch for any last-minute announcements rather than count on a guaranteed way to stream the game.
Why This Friendly Matters For Both Clubs
For Arsenal, the stakes of a mid-August friendly might seem modest on paper, but the timing makes it significant. Arteta's team is being asked to deliver a genuine title push this season, and after back-to-back defeats to Betis and Dortmund in recent warm-up matches, a solid performance against Como would offer some reassurance heading into the Community Shield against Manchester City and the league opener versus Coventry City.
For Como, the challenge is different but no less meaningful. Fabregas has built a side capable of reaching the Champions League for the first time in the club's history, and testing that group against the reigning Premier League standard-bearer offers a useful gauge of just how far the Italian club has come. A strong showing at the Emirates, even in a friendly, would be a notable marker for a team preparing to step onto Europe's biggest stage for the first time.
What remains to be seen is exactly how Arteta manages his returning internationals in real time. With Eze and Guimaraes tipped for limited minutes and several others, including Madueke and Arsenal's Spanish contingent, still without a confirmed status, Wednesday's lineup sheet may say as much about the club's plans for the Community Shield as the final score against Como does.
