AC Milan vs Benfica – News and Probable Lineups

Two former European titans are set to meet in UEFA’s secondary competition as AC Milan kick off their Europa League journey against Benfica this Wednesday evening.

The encounter will take place at San Siro, with both teams having missed the chance to qualify for the Champions League in the previous season. However, they are seen as potential contenders for the trophy in Frankfurt next spring.

Match overview

Last season, Milan’s grip on Champions League football was loosened by a disappointing six defeats from their last 10 league matches, leading to a swift restructuring of the club’s management.

After Max Allegri’s second tenure abruptly ended after just one year, Ruben Amorim was appointed to revive the squad, and his team remains unbeaten up to this point.

Following wins over Torino and Venezia, the Rossoneri have experienced consecutive Serie A draws against Juventus and Lazio, albeit under contrasting circumstances.

Initially, Juve stole a late equalizer to deny Milan all three points in Turin, before Amorim’s squad battled back from two goals down for a well-earned draw in Rome.

After completely missing the European stage last year, the Italian giants can now return to continental competition for the first time since being eliminated from the 2024-25 Champions League in the knockout stage playoffs.

On the other hand, Amorim enters this fixture with the recent memory of losing the 2025 Europa League final while managing Manchester United, having previously made a significant impact at the top level with Sporting Lisbon.

Adding a romantic twist, Milan’s league-phase campaign will kick off against his former club, where Amorim played for nine years; as a head coach, he often outperformed Benfica while managing Sporting.

Historical data also indicates that Benfica may find it challenging to secure any points, as they have not managed to defeat Milan in six competitive encounters, including two finals in the European Cup in 1963 and 1990.

Similar to the Rossoneri, Portugal’s top club also did not meet expectations last season, finishing third in the Primeira Liga under José Mourinho.

This led to a path through the qualifying phases of the Europa League for new manager Marco Silva, whose reign began with an unexpected defeat to St. Gallen.

Benfica recovered from that setback to decisively eliminate the Swiss club with a resounding 5-0 victory in the second leg, before overcoming Hearts 7-2 and AGF 6-2 on aggregate, progressing into the league phase.

Since then, the Eagles have been unstoppable in domestic competitions, earning maximum points from their subsequent four matches while scoring a total of 12 goals.

In their most recent outing, a late surge turned a potential home draw against Gil Vicente into a 3-1 win, marking their seventh consecutive victory across all competitions.

With soaring confidence, Silva’s side will now face two demanding away encounters, beginning with their challenging trip to Milan before heading to Porto.

Team News

For this midweek fixture, Amorim may consider rotating his squad, while Milan is likely to field their customary 3-4-2-1 formation.

The home side should be in good health, as defensive partners Mattia Gabbia and Mario Gila have both recovered from minor worries to join the squad against Lazio.

It remains uncertain whether 41-year-old Luka Modric will be called to start again. The Croatian playmaker has made 156 European appearances, but his last match outside the Champions League dates back to November 2011.

If Goncalo Ramos is not given a rest, various players are contending to support the former Benfica forward: Alphadjo Cisse, Alexis Saelemaekers, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Omari Hutchinson, and Christian Pulisic are all vying for playing time.

While Ramos aims to score against his old club, Benfica’s attack is now spearheaded by Vangelis Pavlidis, who netted six goals throughout the qualification rounds.

Additionally, the prolific forward has already scored eight in the Primeira Liga, boasting a rate of one every two games in European competitions.

However, the visitors will be without Alexander Bah, who continues to recover from a shoulder injury, meaning either Daniel Banjaqui or versatile captain Fredrik Aursnes should start at right-back.

AC Milan probable starting XI:

Cousins; De Winter, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Musah, Moreira; Pulisic, Cisse; Ramos

Benfica probable starting XI:

Soares; Aursnes, Araujo, Lenglet, Dahl; Palhinha, Barreiro; Silva, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Milan are still adjusting to Amorim’s leadership, while Benfica’s new managerial chapter has commenced with a flurry of goals.

Thus, the home side might have to settle for a draw as they resume their European campaign, allowing the Eagles to depart with a valuable point.