Liverpool vs Como: A Pre-Season Friendly Test

Liverpool’s pre-season has been anything but smooth, and now comes a different kind of test. Como arrive with momentum, confidence, and a growing reputation, setting up an intriguing friendly that kicks off on 16 August 2026 at 11:30.

This isn’t a glamour tie built on history. There is no recent head-to-head record between Liverpool and Como, no well-worn storyline of old European clashes to lean on. This one starts from scratch.

Liverpool searching for rhythm

Liverpool step into the game with a patchy run of form: one win, one draw and three defeats from their last five outings. The numbers tell a simple story – 10 goals scored, 10 conceded – but the pattern behind them is more worrying than balanced.

Their latest outing, a 3-2 loss to Monaco on 9 August in a Club Friendly, underlined the problem. Goals are there. Control is not. Before that, a 4-2 defeat to Leeds United in another pre-season clash exposed the same defensive frailties. When Liverpool attack, they look lively. When they’re asked to defend in transition, cracks appear.

There have been brighter moments. A narrow 1-0 win over Wrexham and a 4-2 victory against Sunderland showed flashes of sharpness in the final third and hinted at what this side can do when the pieces click. Still, one win from the last three and a habit of being dragged into high-scoring, chaotic games is not the platform any coach wants heading into a new campaign.

Team news? For now, nothing concrete. No confirmed injuries, no suspensions, no probable lineup released. Liverpool are keeping their cards close, or simply finalising decisions late in pre-season. Either way, the picture will only clear closer to kick-off.

Como arrive with momentum

While Liverpool search for balance, Como arrive in far better shape. Three wins, one draw and one defeat in their last five matches point to a side that knows its identity and carries form.

Their most recent game, a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on 12 August, was a statement in itself. Holding their own against Premier League opposition, they showed they can compete at a higher tempo and still stay organised.

Before that, they edged Famalicao 3-2 and shared a 2-2 draw with Paris FC in pre-season, results that reinforced their attacking threat. Stretch the lens back to the end of last season and the picture looks even stronger: Como closed their Serie A campaign with back-to-back wins over Cremonese and Parma.

Across those five most recent fixtures, they’ve scored 11 and conceded just seven. Not watertight, but efficient. Dangerous. A team that tends to make its chances count.

Like Liverpool, Como have yet to release official details on their squad, coaching selections or fitness concerns for this match. No confirmed lineup, no injury list, no suspension issues on record so far. For a friendly, that cloak of uncertainty is hardly unusual, but it does add a layer of intrigue.

A rare fixture with something to say

There is no recent history between these clubs to frame this contest. No grudge, no revenge angle, no familiar script. That absence makes the meeting more interesting.

For Liverpool, it’s another opportunity to iron out defensive issues, to turn chaotic scorelines into controlled performances, and to convert pre-season minutes into something resembling a settled side. For Como, it’s a chance to test their upward curve against one of the game’s global heavyweights and prove that recent form is not just a short burst of momentum.

No noise from the treatment rooms yet. No tactical hints from either bench. Just a Premier League giant searching for fluency and a Serie A outfit carrying belief into a rare date on Merseyside.

One team trying to rediscover itself. The other trying to announce itself. Which story moves forward on 16 August?