AC Milan finished fifth in the 2025-26 Serie A season with 70 points, missing out on Champions League qualification after a 2-1 home loss to Cagliari on May 24, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. Como earned a historic fourth-place finish with 71 points, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history after defeating Cremonese 4-1 on the same day [1, 3, 4]. AS Roma secured third place and Champions League qualification with 73 points following their 2-0 win over Hellas Verona on May 24 [1, 3, 4].
Inter Milan and Napoli finished first and second respectively, locking in the top two Champions League spots [1, 5, 3]. Juventus ended the season sixth with 69 points after a 2-2 draw against Torino was delayed by an hour due to severe crowd trouble, which left one fan in critical condition [1, 3, 4]. Juventus will compete in the Europa League next season [1, 5, 6].
AC Milan’s late-season collapse saw them win only one of their last four matches, contributing to their failure to qualify. Manager Massimiliano Allegri, 58, accepted full responsibility for the poor second half and home losses, stating, "When we lose five home games the way we did, we end up in this position. I made mistakes too... I am the one responsible" [2, 7, 8]. The club sacked Allegri on May 25, along with CEO Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare, and technical director Geoffrey Moncada, releasing a statement calling the season an "unequivocal failure" [9, 10, 11, 8].
Supporters had protested against the club’s ownership and Allegri before the final matchday, demanding change after Milan missed Champions League spots for a second consecutive season [1, 5, 6]. Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti retains backing from the board despite failing to qualify, with plans for a squad rebuild underway [5, 6].
Como’s rise is remarkable, having climbed from lower amateur leagues less than a decade ago to Serie A and now European qualification in just two seasons at the top flight. Midfielder Cesc Fabregas called the achievement "unbelievable" considering the squad's youth, with almost all players under 23 years old [5, 6, 4].
Italian clubs were shut out of the European semi-finals across all three major continental competitions for the first time since 1986-87 [5, 6]. Relegated from Serie A this season were Cremonese, Hellas Verona, and Pisa [1, 3, 4].
