Liverpool vs Como: Pre-Season Clash with Stakes

Liverpool’s summer takes another twist on 16 August 2026, when Como arrive for a pre-season meeting that looks far more interesting than the usual August run‑out. Kick-off is set for 11:30, with both clubs using the game as a sharpener for very different campaigns ahead.

Liverpool searching for rhythm

Liverpool stumble into this one. One win, one draw, three defeats from their last five friendlies tells its own story. Ten scored, ten conceded. Open, chaotic, and nowhere near settled.

Their most recent outing, a 3-2 loss to Monaco on 9 August, underlined the problem. Liverpool can create. They can hurt teams. But they leak chances, and in pre-season that can be waved away as conditioning, as experiments, as “minutes in the legs”. The pattern is becoming harder to ignore.

Before Monaco, Leeds United put four past them in another wild contest that finished 4-2. The brighter moments came in a tight 1-0 win over Wrexham and a 4-2 victory against Sunderland, flashes of control and cutting edge that have been too rare across this stretch.

No official team news has dropped yet. No confirmed injuries, no suspensions listed, no probable XI. That secrecy is not unusual in pre-season, but it does add a layer of guesswork. Who needs minutes? Who needs protecting? And who is playing for their place when the real stuff starts?

Como carry momentum – and a quiet confidence

On the other side, Como travel with something Liverpool lack right now: momentum. Three wins, one draw and a single defeat in their last five. Eleven goals scored, only seven conceded. Their numbers hint at balance.

Their latest test, a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on 12 August, showed they can live with higher-profile opposition. Before that, they edged Famalicao 3-2 and shared a 2-2 draw with Paris FC in friendlies that kept their attacking patterns sharp.

Crucially, Como’s competitive season closed on a surge. Back-to-back Serie A wins over Cremonese and Parma gave them a strong finish and a platform to build from. That kind of run hardens a team. It gives a dressing room belief that doesn’t disappear just because the calendar flips to pre-season.

As with Liverpool, there is no confirmed Como squad list yet. No coach details, no fitness updates on record. The shape of their side will only become clear closer to kick-off.

A first meeting with questions attached

There is no recent head-to-head history between these two clubs. No old scars, no familiar scripts. It’s a blank slate.

For Liverpool, this game is about more than fitness. They need defensive stability, a cleaner structure, and a sign that the careless concessions of the last few weeks are being addressed. For Como, it’s a chance to test their rising level against a global heavyweight, to see whether that late-season surge and strong pre-season form translate when the badge on the other shirt carries real weight.

One team trying to stop a slide before it starts. The other riding a wave they’re desperate to extend.

By the final whistle, we’ll know which story still rings true.