Arsenal: looking to recover after back-to-back defeats

Arsenal head into this friendly looking to restore confidence after consecutive losses to Real Betis (1-3) and Borussia Dortmund. The Gunners have shown some defensive fragility during preseason, with the effects of last season’s demanding schedule and the delayed return of several World Cup players still being felt.

One of Arsenal’s biggest moves this summer was the arrival of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle, and the Brazilian midfielder could make his first appearance in Arsenal colours against Como. William Saliba and Jurriën Timber remain on the injury list, while Christos Tzolis has impressed in attack, registering two assists across his last two appearances.

Como: Fàbregas faces a major test against Premier League opposition

Como have already hosted a preseason tournament of their own, finishing third after defeating Famalicão 3-2. Their upcoming trip to England presents a much tougher challenge, with meetings against Arsenal and Liverpool providing valuable benchmarks ahead of the new campaign.

Cesc Fàbregas has also been backed with significant reinforcements. Nico Paz has joined permanently from Real Madrid, while Trevoh Chalobah has arrived from Chelsea. Kaiky and Yan Couto are also expected to add further quality to the defensive department. Como remain committed to Fàbregas’ possession-oriented philosophy, built around quick combinations and aggressive pressing, but executing it against Arsenal’s superior individual talent will be a demanding task.

Match facts and head-to-head

Three of Arsenal’s last five matches have produced at least four goals.

Four of Como’s previous five fixtures have also ended with four or more goals.

Both teams have scored and conceded in each of their last five matches.