European Football Pre-Season Friendlies - Series A

Starting with the reigning champions, Internazionale has focused on tactical continuity while reinforcing squad depth. The departure of key figures like Dumfries to Real Madrid, alongside the exit of veterans Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij, prompted the club to sign Spence and Stones to cover central and right-sided defensive roles. Midfield depth is also being addressed, with ongoing talks for Curtis Jones to add versatility. Arrivals such as Akanji and Stankovic fit well within their established 3-5-2 system. On the pitch, Internazionale has maintained an unbeaten five-game streak in their preparations, which included a scheduled friendly against Karlsruhe on July 26, 2026, and a high-profile matchup with Manchester City on August 1, 2026. The challenge ahead will be managing player stamina across domestic and European fronts.

Across the city, AC Milan is integrating new faces into their lineup. The acquisition of Portuguese forward Ramos and central defender Gila—who brings solid distribution skills suited to modern setups—highlights their intent. With veteran Luka Modric expected to direct play from midfield, they are also monitoring Belgian winger Diego Moreira. Scheduled to face Celtic on July 25, 2026, and Chelsea on August 8, 2026, their defensive cohesion remains a talking point, particularly after a heavy 3-0 defeat to Chelsea that exposed tactical gaps. Despite a separate 4-2 win showcasing their attacking output, the defensive vulnerabilities remain. They are also scheduled to play Internazionale on August 5, 2026, and Manchester United on August 15, 2026, leaving limited time to shore up the backline.

Juventus, meanwhile, opted for targeted, high-value investments exceeding 40 million euros for key additions. By securing forwards Loïs Openda and Randal Kolo Muani, alongside an 18-year-old winger Kerim Alajbegovic for 32 million euros, their attacking options have expanded significantly. Defensively, they added Jhon Lucumí and brought in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario on loan from Tottenham. Despite these reinforcements, their pre-season schedule—featuring matches against Basel on July 18, 2026, and Chelsea on August 5, 2026—has seen them struggle against direct rivals, notably in a 2-1 defeat to Internazionale during a scheduled matchup on August 8, 2026. A subsequent 2-0 win against a youth team provided little comfort regarding their readiness to challenge for the top spot.

Other notable movements include Napoli retaining Kevin De Bruyne while moving on from Lukaku. They brought in Rasmus Højlund and Alisson Santos to refresh the attack, resulting in a dominant 6-2 pre-season performance, though De Bruyne's advancing age might impact their title push. Atalanta secured Nicola Zalewski, converting the versatile wide player into a midfield asset with promising early results. Elsewhere, Bologna scheduled a match against Arminia Bielefeld on July 12, 2026, Genoa arranged a test against Trento on July 19, 2026, and Cagliari faced Sampdoria on July 23, 2026.