On Wednesday, Milan hosted the powerful La Liga giants Benfica to start their first Europa League game since the 2020/21 season. Returning to the San Siro after back-to-back domestic fixtures, Ruben Amorim’s side will be keen to get back to winning ways after two consecutive Serie A draws.
Summer signing Diego Moreira was in the spotlight on Saturday as Milan fought back from 2-0 down at half-time to hold Lazio to a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Stadio Olimpico. The Belgian star replaced Perves Estupinan at the beginning of the second half and quickly scored twice to help the Rossoneri maintain an unbeaten start under Amorim (2 wins, 2 draws).
Before avoiding defeat in the Italian capital, Milan suffered a heartbreaking blow in a mouth-watering showdown with arch-rivals Juventus in Turin, conceding a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw. Amorim will therefore face familiar opponents in his first European game in charge of the Rossoneri and he will be aiming for a more favorable result this time around.
As it turns out, that’s easier said than done, especially given Benfica’s sizzling performance in this game. Marco Silva’s side overcame an early deficit to extend their winning streak in all competitions to seven games with a 3-1 home victory over Gil Vicente last weekend. On this basis, they are expected to embark on this trip with a full spirit and win the Europa League debut under the new competition system.
Game preview
Milan
Despite boasting an impressive seven Champions League titles, Milan have never won the competition, which could provide additional motivation for Amorim in pursuit of the trophy that eludes him in 2024/25. Indeed, the former Sporting CP boss guided United to the Europa League final, only for Tottenham to deny him continental glory in the all-English competition.
Starting their European tour at home could provide a perfect backdrop, as Milan are unbeaten in their last four UEFA games at the San Siro (W3, D1). Connoisseurs of action-packed football will be looking forward to the Rossoneri’s return to Europe, not least because both teams have scored in seven of their last ten games on the continent, underscoring the potential of an open-ended game.
However, Milan will be keen to reverse a worrying trend on Wednesday. Perhaps surprisingly, the 19-time Italian champions have failed to score before half-time in each of their four competitive matches under Amorim. It is therefore understandable that 10 of their goals in their last 12 games have come after the hour mark.
benfica
If there was one team that could take advantage of Milan’s clumsy first-half performance, it was a ruthless Benfica side. The Eagles are not in optimistic form this season, scoring 25 goals in seven consecutive victories, including a 6-2 win over Danish team Aarhus in the Europa League qualifying play-offs.
Silva’s side began their Europa League adventure against Swiss side St Gallen in the second qualifying round of the Europa League before beating Hearts in the third round. However, Benfica’s mixed results in their three away games in qualifying (1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss) paint a potentially bleak picture for the two-time European champions ahead of their first meeting with Milan since 2007.
History isn’t in Benfica’s favor either. Apart from two losses to Milan in the European Cup/Champions League finals, the Eagles have failed to win in all six official matches against the Rossoneri (D2, L4). On the bright side, they have been firing on all cylinders recently, scoring at least three goals in eight of their last 11 official games.
Team news
With Matteo Gabbia back in full training after a long absence, Amorim will get his entire Milan squad fit and ready for the Europa League opener. After impressive second-half performances against Lazio, Christian Pulisic and Moreira are both expected to make their first competitive appearance of the season, while Gabbia could replace Mario Guira in the backline.
As for Benfica, Alexander Bain is still recovering from a shoulder injury, which means either Daniel Banjakyi or Frederik Osnes are likely to start at right-back. All eyes will be on free-scoring forward Vangelis Pavlidis, who has scored six goals throughout the qualifiers, with Andreas Schjöldrup and Gianluca Prestani expected to start on the wing.
Milan vs Benfica potential starting lineup
Milan (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Derwent, Gabia, Pavlovich; Chukweize, Modric, Moussa, Moreira; Pulisic, Cisse; Ramos.
Benfica (4-2-3-1): Suarez; Ornes, Araujo, Lenglet, Dahl; Palinha, Barreiro; Silva, Prestiani, Kjedrup; Pavlidis.
Milan vs Benfica Prediction
There is no doubt that Milan will be desperate to impress in Europe, but picking up three points against Benfica, one of their best sides, could prove to be a tall order. Instead, a high-scoring draw might be possible.
Prediction: Tie
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