Napoli vs Como - Serie A

A fascinating Serie A chapter awaits on August 30, 2026 when Napoli take on Como at the home ground — two sides with plenty to play for and everything to prove. Enzo Maresca and Rico Lewis held a pre-match press conference on Saturday as Manchester City prepare to face Atletico Madrid in their third pre-season friendly of the summer.

Napoli head into the contest positioned 10th in the Serie A standings, while Como arrive sitting 3rd. The hosts have done enough without setting the world alight, WLLW over their last five and a 50% win rate to their name. The visitors have been a force on their travels, W in their last five and a campaign win rate of 75% that demands respect. Their respective approaches this season have differed noticeably, and the tactical contrast could prove telling. That’s according to Miguel Delaney of the Independent, who also adds that the Gunners remain keen on another world class forward in the form of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.

Stylistically, this is a compelling matchup. Napoli favour a patient, possession-based approach, whereas Como are at their most dangerous when allowed to hit quickly on the counter. There is interest in adding another forward player who can play in one of those wide No 10 roles behind the striker in the 3-4-2-1 formation that Sage is expected to continue with at Selhurst Park.

The fixture boasts genuine star quality. With D. Malen topping the Serie A scoring charts at 6 goals, the stage is set for the kind of individual brilliance that can swing a contest. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. They are still debating the merits of signing a third midfielder, a deal for Lewis Hall is going to be extremely difficult to pull off and Marcus Rashford's situation means signing an attacker isn't currently off the agenda.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. The numbers tilt towards Como, and a 2-3 away win looks the more probable outcome. With positions in the Serie A table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. Joe Gomez is expected to miss the start of Liverpool's Premier League campaign through injury - but it is not likely to impact the Reds' transfer plans.