AC Milan are back in European competition, and they begin their UEFA Europa League campaign with a home fixture against SL Benfica on Wednesday.
AC Milan endured a disappointing league campaign last season, with six defeats in their final ten Serie A matches contributing to their failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. That prompted changes in the dugout, with Ruben Amorim appointed to oversee the club’s rebuild.
The Rossoneri have made an unbeaten start under Amorim. They opened the campaign with victories over Torino and Venezia before drawing against Juventus and Lazio. The draw in Turin saw Juventus score a late equaliser, while Milan fought back from two goals down to claim a point against Lazio at the weekend, with summer signing Diego Moreira scoring both goals.
The Serie A giants now return to European competition as they open their UEFA Europa League campaign against Portuguese giants Benfica at San Siro. A victory over the Primeira Liga club would be important for the manager as he looks to establish his authority and extend Milan’s unbeaten start to the season.
Benfica arrive in Milan in excellent form after recovering from a difficult start to the season. Marco Silva’s reign began with a surprise defeat to St. Gallen in UEFA Europa League qualifying, but the Portuguese club responded emphatically by winning the second leg 5-0.
The Eagles then progressed comfortably past Hearts and AGF before beginning an impressive domestic run. Benfica have won their last six matches in all competitions, scoring 12 goals in their last four domestic fixtures. Their most recent victory came against Gil Vicente, with a late rally securing a 3-1 win.
Team News & Tactics
AC Milan
Ruben Amorim has a fully fit squad to choose from, with no reported injuries or fresh concerns ahead of Milan’s opening European fixture at San Siro.
The manager is expected to rotate his squad but should maintain stability by retaining his back three of Mario Gila, Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic. There could be a change at left wing-back, with the impressive Diego Moreira likely to replace Pervis Estupinan.
Adrien Rabiot could also come into the midfield setup, allowing Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Alexis Saelemaekers to operate in more advanced roles behind the striker. Goncalo Ramos could continue to lead the line for the Rossoneri as he prepares to face his former club.
Probable lineup (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Gila, De Winter, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Rabiot, Moreira; Loftus-Cheek, Saelemaekers; Ramos
Benfica
Marco Silva also has an almost fully fit squad at his disposal, with Alexander Bah the only notable absentee due to a shoulder injury. Daniel Banjaqui and versatile captain Fredrik Aursnes are potential options to replace him, with the former likely to fill the role.
Tomas Araujo and Clement Lenglet are expected to form the central defensive partnership in a back four, while Samuel Dahl should continue at left-back. Summer signing Joao Palhinha is likely to marshal the midfield alongside Leandro Barreiro, with Argentine midfielder Gianluca Prestianni operating in the advanced role.
Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis will lead the line for the Lisbon giants. Rafa is expected to start on the right wing, while the exciting Andreas Schjelderup should feature on the left. The Norwegian international could pose one of the biggest threats to Milan’s defence.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Soares; Banjaqui, Araujo, Lenglet, Dahl; Barreiro, Palhinha; Rafa, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
Key Stats
- AC Milan have never lost to Benfica in six competitive meetings.
- AC Milan are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions.
- Benfica have won their last six matches in all competitions.
- Benfica have scored 12 goals across their last four domestic matches.
Player to Watch
Goncalo Ramos
Ramos will be in the spotlight as he prepares to face his former club, Benfica. After enjoying two successful seasons with PSG and winning the UEFA Champions League on both occasions, the former PSG attacker is now aiming to help AC Milan achieve success in the Europa League.
The Portuguese striker has endured a mixed start to life in Milan, scoring once in four Serie A appearances. He must now improve his performances, and a goal or two in the UEFA Europa League could help him build confidence ahead of the busy period to come.
Prediction
AC Milan 2-1 SL Benfica
Benfica are in excellent form and possess the mentality to handle a difficult away fixture at San Siro. However, AC Milan may hold a slight advantage because of their home support and the overall quality within their squad.
The Rossoneri have made an unbeaten start under Ruben Amorim, and the Portuguese manager will hope that run continues in this midweek clash. He has a strong squad to choose from and should be able to select a lineup capable of securing victory, although Milan may struggle to keep a clean sheet.
