Milan-Como: Match Preview

The Biancoblù return to the pitch immediately after Saturday’s home defeat against Fiorentina. Tomorrow, Como will play their postponed Serie A matchday 24 fixture, which was postponed due to the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Como and Milan face each other again a month after their match on January 15 at the Sinigaglia, which saw Milan win 1-3. Now they take to the field at the Meazza against a Milan side firmly in second place in the standings with 53 points, coming off a victory in Pisa in the final minutes of the game thanks to a goal by Modric. The Rossoneri have lost only one game in the entire championship, on August 23 against Cremonese, and since then have enjoyed a long streak of positive results, leading up to this moment. Milan can count on the third-best attack in Serie A with 40 goals scored and the second-best defence (18 goals conceded), tied with Como. What will take place at San Siro will be a high-level match between two teams with big ambitions: Como will try to do everything possible to bounce back from Saturday’s result and earn points, while Milan will try to stay on Inter’s heels.

Here are the words of Como 1907 head coach Cesc Fàbregas ahead of Milan-Como:

“We always have to try to do the right things, in the way we believe is best to earn points. We’re a very young team, a very young club, with a very young staff. The journey isn’t always linear. Mistakes help you grow, and defeat makes you see things from a different perspective.

“We have to keep looking forward because the road is long and it’s beautiful. We can’t forget who we are. When I see our team play, I’m proud, because we put on the pitch the football we want to play. What Como do, meaning always keeping our foot on the accelerator, taking the initiative, wanting the ball, creating, is the hardest thing in football.

“Tomorrow, before the match, there won’t be much to say. When you step onto the pitch at San Siro against Milan, motivation is always there. It’s a tricky match emotionally and in terms of focus. We want to bring home as many points as possible.”

Milan

This season, Milan’s real strength lies in the solidity and talent of its midfield: Modric, Loftus-Cheek, Rabiot, Ricci, and Fofana are all playing key roles in an important season, covering different positions and tasks but also contributing significantly to both defensive and offensive performances. Milan’s defensive solidity is undoubtedly regulated by the work of the midfielders, both in terms of ball recovery and the “quantity” and “volume” they bring to the pitch: the Rossoneri are an extremely physical and intense team, capable of hurting their opponents especially in the latter stages of the game, when opposing teams slow down the pace while Milan still manages to maintain high intensity thanks to the athletic and physical qualities of its players. However, Adrien Rabiot, who scored twice at the Sinigaglia, will be absent against Como due to his sending off in Pisa, which is why Ricci could find space alongside Modric and Loftus-Cheek in the midfield trio against the Biancoblù.

The Englishman, who has been deployed further forward alongside Nkunku in recent games due to the absences of Pulisic and Leao, could drop back into midfield, leaving room for two attacking players. With Saelemaekers coming back from an injury, the two wingers could be Athekame and Bartesaghi, as in recent games. In recent weeks, playing with only Nkunku as an attacking player has opened up different options for Milan, exploiting a mobile player like Loftus-Cheek deployed further forward to open up more space and facilitate the midfielders’ skills: in Pisa, Loftus-Cheek and Modric scored, while in the previous game against Bologna, the Englishman and Rabiot also scored. With the potential return of Pulisic and Leao, this dynamic could return, with the two players who usually work hard on the wings and then serve the ball into the centre, assisting the runs or aiming for goal and exploiting the chaos created in the penalty area by the many players that Milan brings into the offensive phase.

Tomorrow, Como will once again face a team that makes intensity and physicality two of its great strengths, relying on the great technical skills of individuals and set-piece abilities to decide games.

Previous encounters

There have been 17 previous matches between Milan and Como at the Rossoneri’s home ground: the record shows ten wins for Milan, five draws, and two wins for the Biancoblù.

Como’s last victory at San Siro against Milan dates back to the 1984/85 season, when goals from Matteoli and Bruno were decisive for the final victory.

Squad:

1 BUTEZ Jean
2 KEMPF Marc
3 VALLE Alex
6 CAQUERET Maxence
8 ROBERTO Sergi
10 PAZ Nicolas
11 DOUVIKAS Tasos
14 RAMON Jacobo
15 LAHDO Adrian
17 RODRIGUEZ Jesus
18 MORENO Alberto
19 KUHN Nicolas
20 BATURINA Martin
21 TORNQVIST Noel
22 VIGORITO Mauro
23 PERRONE Maximo
28 SMOLCIC Ivan
31 VOJVODA Mërgim
33 DA CUNHA Lucas
34 DIEGO CARLOS
42 ADDAI Jayden
44 CAVLINA Nikola
77 VAN DER BREMPT Ignace

Match details

Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Kick-off: 20:45 CEST
Stadium: Giuseppe Meazza
Referee: Mariani
Assistants: Tegoni – Bindoni

Where to watch

Italy: DAZN
Balkans: Arena Sport
USA: CBS, DAZN, FOX
Latin America: ESPN & Disney +
South Korea: SPOTV
Rest of the world: Check local listings.