Arsenal v Como: Fabregas Returns as Arteta Seeks Response

Pre-season friendlies are supposed to be gentle tune‑ups, but Arsenal arrive at their final home warm-up with a few questions already circling. Two defeats in a row have taken a little of the gloss off the summer, and the Emirates crowd will turn up on Wednesday night wanting more than just fitness updates.

They want a response.

A familiar face in the opposite dugout

Como’s visit is no ordinary August run-out. On the away bench stands Cesc Fabregas, the former Arsenal captain now shaping an ambitious Serie A side that finished fourth last season to earn a place in the Champions League. His return adds a layer of nostalgia to what is, on paper, a low-stakes evening.

For Arsenal, it is anything but.

Kick-off is at 7.30pm BST, with the club streaming the game free on their YouTube channel in the UK, USA, India and Australia. It’s a modern pre-season scene: a global audience, a patched-together squad, and a manager trying to knit old and new into something that looks ready for a title defence.

Arteta chasing a reaction

Mikel Arteta’s team have stumbled through their last two outings, losing 3-1 to Real Betis and 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund. The results matter less than the patterns, but conceding six in two games will not sit comfortably with a side that built last season’s challenge on control and structure.

Supporters heading to the Emirates will be looking first for defensive stability, a sense that the basics are back in place before the serious business starts. The Community Shield against Manchester City comes on 16 August, then the Premier League opener at home to Coventry City. There is no more home rehearsal after this.

The pressure may be gentle, but it is real.

Guimaraes set for first minutes

The headline attraction is likely to be Bruno Guimaraes. Arsenal’s £75 million signing from Newcastle has already been paraded in front of the home crowd, introduced before the Dortmund game, but this should be the first time they see him in red and white with the ball at his feet rather than a scarf around his neck.

Arteta has made no secret of his excitement. He has talked about the Brazilian’s energy, his hunger, the way he has walked into the training ground as if determined to write his own chapter in the club’s history. That is exactly the sort of presence Arsenal want at the heart of a squad aiming to go one better in the league.

Guimaraes may not start, with his minutes likely to be managed carefully after the move and his summer commitments, but even a short cameo will be enough to set the tone. A sharp pass, a snap in the tackle, a driving run through midfield – small details that tell a crowd they are watching a player built for big occasions.

Threadbare core, eager fringe

Arteta still does not have his full hand to play. Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino have yet to fully rejoin the squad after their international exertions. At the back, Jurrien Timber continues to recover from a groin issue, while William Saliba remains a longer-term absentee with a back injury.

That forces rotation, and it opens doors.

Christos Tzolis seized his chance against Dortmund, catching the eye with his direct play and intent. He is expected to feature again, another player trying to turn pre-season promise into a meaningful role once the competitive games start. These are the nights that change a manager’s mind when the squad is finally complete.

Como’s statement of intent

Como arrive with their own story. They are not just Serie A tourists enjoying a glamour friendly. Their fourth-place finish last season underlined a rapid rise, and the recruitment of Trevoh Chalobah on a five-year deal from Chelsea sent a clear message about where they believe they are heading.

Fabregas has already called the signing an important statement of ambition. Bringing a defender schooled at the highest level into a growing project fits that narrative. Arsenal will not face a disinterested opponent easing through the motions; they will meet a side using this stage to measure themselves against a Premier League heavyweight.

Some of Como’s players are still filtering back from summer commitments, but the structure is there, the intent obvious. For Fabregas, walking out at the Emirates in opposition colours once more, this is a chance to test his ideas against a club he knows inside out.

Final dress rehearsal

Strip away the sentiment and the subplots, and the night boils down to this: Arsenal need to look ready.

They do not need to be perfect. They do need to be sharper than they were against Betis and Dortmund, more secure without the ball, more ruthless when chances arrive. A clean sheet would calm a few nerves. A convincing performance would do even more.

The Community Shield and the title defence are coming fast. By the time the lights go out at the Emirates on Wednesday, Arteta will hope the questions about preparation feel smaller, the doubts quieter, and the sight of Guimaraes in the centre of it all a sign of what is to come.