In one of the most dramatic final days in recent Serie A history, Como and Roma secured places in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League while traditional giants AC Milan and Juventus were left on the outside looking in, capping a season of upheaval that saw the balance of Italian football shift decisively. Roma ended a seven-year absence from Europe’s elite competition with a professional 2-0 victory at already-relegated Hellas Verona, goals from Leandro Paredes and Alexis Saelemaekers sealing third place on 73 points and marking a huge success for coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the Friedkin family’s ownership.
Yet even Roma’s achievement was overshadowed by the extraordinary rise of Como 1907, who qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history after a 4-1 win at Cremonese condemned the hosts to Serie B. Managed and part-owned by Cesc Fabregas, Como completed a remarkable journey from the third tier of Italian football in 2019, when they were acquired by tobacco giant Djarum, to Europe’s top table just two seasons after earning promotion to Serie A. The lakeside club finished fourth on 71 points, two behind Roma, having never previously played in any European competition.
For AC Milan, what began as a season of promise ended in total disappointment as a shock 2-1 home defeat to Cagliari at San Siro left them without Champions League football for a second consecutive year. Milan took the lead inside two minutes through Saelemaekers but collapsed after tap-ins from Gennaro Borrelli and Juan Rodriguez, with livid fans protesting loudly against owners RedBird before, during and after the humiliating loss. Despite starting the day in third on 70 points, Milan finished outside the top four, dropping to sixth and sparking another crisis at a club that had made reaching the Champions League the primary objective under Massimiliano Allegri.
Juventus also missed out after a turbulent final day in Turin. Their derby against Torino kicked off over an hour late for public safety reasons following pre-match clashes that left one fan in a critical condition and hospitalized. Dusan Vlahovic gave Juve the lead, but the match was largely overshadowed by the Como and Milan results, which meant Juventus would play in the Europa League next season regardless of their own outcome. A win would have secured fifth place, but even that depended on head-to-head records that ultimately favored Como for the final Champions League spot after both clubs could have finished on 71 points.
The results mean Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, and Como will represent Italy in the 2026-27 Champions League, while Juventus and Milan are headed for the Europa League. Atalanta took the Conference League place in seventh. The final standings confirmed a seismic shift in Italian football, with Como’s strategic triumph and Roma’s return underscoring the increasing competitiveness of Serie A, while the failure of Milan and Juventus to qualify highlights the narrowing gap between established giants and ambitious rising clubs.
