Inter and Roma secure Champions League spots, Milan and Juventus fall short

On May 24, 2026, Italian coach Luciano Spalletti was seen discussing tactics with his players during the Italian Serie A football match between Torino and Juventus FC at the Olympic Stadium Grande Torino in Turin.

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Como made history by qualifying for the Champions League for the first time, joining Roma in the top four, while AC Milan and Juventus missed out due to an eventful final day marked by fan violence.

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A 4-1 win at Cremonese, who were relegated to Serie B, and AC Milan's shocking 2-1 home defeat to Cagliari, allowed Como to secure a spot in Europe's top table, capping their incredible rise from the lower leagues.

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Como will finish the season in fourth place, two points behind Roma, who secured third place with a 2-0 win at already-relegated Verona, ending their long absence from the Champions League since being knocked out by Porto in 2019.

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Roma's top-four finish is a significant achievement for coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the American Friedkin family, who own the club, but it is overshadowed by Como's historic feat, as they have never played in European competition and were in the third tier of Italian football when acquired by tobacco giant Djarum in 2019.

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The results also determined that Juventus will play in the Europa League next season, regardless of the outcome of their delayed derby match at Torino, which kicked off over an hour late due to "public safety" concerns following pre-match clashes between rival supporters.

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Dusan Vlahovic gave Juventus the lead in the 24th minute, and a win for Luciano Spalletti's side would result in a fifth-placed finish, with Milan dropping to sixth after their defeat.

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AC Milan started the day in third place and initially took the lead with Alexis Saelemaekers scoring in the second minute, but ultimately lost 2-1 to Cagliari, with Gennaro Borrelli and Juan Rodriguez scoring tap-ins in each half.

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Milan's defeat sparked protests from their fans, who expressed their anger towards the club's owners, RedBird, before, during, and after the match, plunging the team into another crisis.