Baturina and Smolčić with Como at the Emirates
The Croatian duo is expected to see playing time in a prestigious friendly at the Emirates Stadium, where Cesc Fabregas returns to his former club for the first time as a coach.
The Croatian duo is expected to see playing time in a prestigious friendly at the Emirates Stadium, where Cesc Fabregas returns to his former club for the first time as a coach.
Como, led by coach Cesc Fabregas, face Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, as part of their preparations for the upcoming season. The match kicks off at 8:30 PM, and there is particular interest from Croatia as Martin Baturina and Ivan Smolčić play for the Italian club. Both are expected to get a chance to feature in this attractive encounter, which will be broadcast live on Sport Klub 1.
This is an extremely emotional match for Fabregas, as he returns to the place where he spent key years of his career. He played a total of 212 matches for Arsenal and wore the captain's armband from 2008 to 2011. Although some Gunners fans have mixed feelings towards him due to his later stint at London rivals Chelsea, his close connection with the club from the period when Mikel Arteta coached the youth teams could earn him a warmer reception at the Emirates.
Arsenal, the current Premier League champions, are in the final stages of their preparations ahead of the Community Shield against Manchester City, scheduled for August 16. According to Sportklub, they have played two friendlies so far, against Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, losing the latter 3-2. On the other hand, Como recently defeated Portuguese side Famalicão 3-2 in a friendly tournament, securing third place. The tournament was won by Lens, the new club of Croatian international Franjo Ivanović.
As reported by Gazzetta dello Sport, Como sensationally finished fourth in Serie A last season, snatching a Champions League spot from Milan and Juventus, who ended up in the Europa League. Martin Baturina did not feature in the aforementioned tournament due to rest after the World Cup, while Ivan Smolčić got significant playing time. Now, both Croatian players are expected to get the chance to prove themselves against one of the strongest English clubs. For Como, this match is their first serious test ahead of their historic Champions League debut, which was also Fabregas's main motivation for arranging matches against such strong opponents.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, bookmakers expect a high-scoring match. The odds for both teams to score range from 1.48 at Eurobet to 1.56 at Starcasinò, while Netwin offers 1.55 and Snai 1.52. Interestingly, the odds for a draw at half-time are 2.60 on most platforms like Netwin, Starcasinò, and Snai, while Eurobet offers slightly lower odds at 2.55.
Italian media highlight that Como's defense is still in the process of gelling, and the club is still on the lookout for a top striker. Fiorentina's Kean is mentioned as the main target. On the other hand, Arsenal under Arteta aims to continue their dominance and build an even more trophy-laden era, especially after losing the Champions League final to PSG on penalties last season.
The match from the Emirates in London can be followed on Sport Klub 1 from 8:30 PM. The program is available to viewers in Croatia via A1, Hrvatski Telekom, Telemach, Total TV, OptiTV, and the EON platform.
