In one of the most surprising last matchdays in recent history, both AC Milan and Juventus are out of the next edition of the UEFA Champions League while AS Roma and Como were able to qualify alongside Inter and Napoli. Como, in particular, should be regarded as one of the most exciting projects in European football. Under the leadership of Spanish manager Cesc Fabregas, the club have achieved a historic milestone, securing qualification for European competition for the first time in history.
On the other hand, Juventus and AC Milan in particular need to reflect on their mistakes. While the Bianconeri were forced to change managers during the 2025–26 season, AC Milan placed their trust in the returning Massimiliano Allegri. However, the Italian coach was unable to guide the Rossoneri back to the Champions League in his first season, and there is growing speculation that significant changes could be made to both the club's management structure and playing squad in the coming weeks.
Here's what to know:
Scores
Sassuolo 1, Parma 0
Napoli 1, Udinese 0
Como 4, Cremonese 1
Lecce 1, Genoa 0
Cagliari 2, AC Milan 1
Roma 2, Hellas Verona
Juventus 2, Torino 2
A disappointing season for Pulisic
Another disappointing season for Christian Pulisic and AC Milan as the Rossoneri failed to clinch a spot in the next Champions League for the second season in a row, while the American star had a negative second part of the season with his last goal scored on Dec. 28 against Hellas Verona. With the upcoming World Cup, where he will lead Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT at the tournament, there are increasing concerns about his form, also considering he didn't start in the last Serie A home defeat against Cagliari.
For Pulisic and the club as a whole, this season has been a major setback. In the summer of 2025, AC Milan appointed Massimiliano Allegri with the clear objective of restoring the team to Europe's elite competitions, but they ultimately fell short of that goal. As a result, significant discussions are expected regarding the future of both the coaching staff and the club's leadership. Several key figures could see their positions come under scrutiny, including Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani, and sporting director Igli Tare.
Como makes history
On the other hand, Como made history and clinched a historical Champions League qualification under Fabregas. After playing at the highest levels of elite soccer with Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea and AS Monaco, during the 2022-23 season, the World Cup-winning former Spain international moved to Italy and played for Como in his last season before retiring from professional soccer.
After he retired, he became the manager of the under-23 team, a few months before taking the job of the first team. In his first season at Como as caretaker manager, he earned Serie A promotion, and in his first full season in charge, he ended up in 10th place in the standings with the newly promoted team, and in his second Serie A season they clinched Champions League soccer. A club that is working with vision but also with financial resources, the ability to sustain the ambition of one of the young managers around Europe has led to incredible progress.
What to know about placement
- Serie A champions: Inter
- Qualified for Champions League: Napoli, AS Roma, Como
- Qualified for Europa League: AC Milan, Juventus
- Qualified for Conference League: Atalanta
- Relegated to the second division: Cremonese, Hellas Verona, Pisa
Why did Juventus play later?
The kick off of the Derby della Mole between Torino and Juventus was pushed back one hour later than the other games of the day after one Juventus fan suffered what local media are calling serious, but not life-threatening, injuries before the match as the fans clashed with police, according to Sky Italy. The Juventus away fans attending the game rejected the idea of the game being regularly played, as they were calling for the match to be canceled and decided to leave the stadium and the away end. The other four matches involving teams battling for a top-four finish or fighting relegation were delayed by around five minutes, as all were originally scheduled to kick off simultaneously.
