Milan vs Benfica: A European Opening Night Built Around Two Very Different Journeys

European football returns to San Siro with a fixture carrying considerably more history than the opening round of a league phase normally provides.
AC Milan and Benfica have already met in two European Cup finals, while their previous San Siro meeting came in the 2007/08 Champions League.
This time, however, the setting is the 2026/27 Europa League, with Milan beginning their campaign after four unbeaten Serie A matches and Benfica arriving after a much longer route through qualifying.
Benfica started their European campaign in July, progressing through ties against St. Gallen, Hearts and Aarhus before reaching the league phase.
Marco Silva’s side have also collected 16 points from their opening six league matches, while Milan have taken two wins and two draws domestically.
The difference in preparation is therefore significant: Benfica have already accumulated a substantial European workload, while Milan are opening their continental campaign on home soil.

The tactical contrast becomes particularly interesting when the confirmed formations are considered.
Milan line up in a 3-4-2-1, with Mike Maignan behind Filippo Terracciano, Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic, while Davide Bartesaghi and Samuel Chukwueze provide width.
Ardon Jashari and Yunus Musah are the central midfield pairing, with Alphadjo Cisse and Omari Hutchinson operating behind Gonçalo Ramos.
Benfica respond with a 4-2-3-1 built around Anatoliy Trubin, a back four of Daniel Banjaqui, Alessandro Circati, Tomás Araújo and Souffian El Karouani, plus João Palhinha and Fredrik Aursnes in midfield.
Dodi Lukébakio, Jakub Kaminski and Heorhiy Sudakov sit behind Jhon Durán, giving the visitors a structure capable of creating overloads between Milan’s midfield and back three.
The battle over the central spaces could consequently shape the rhythm of the match, especially if either side succeeds in pulling the opposing midfield away from its defensive base.

The pre-match conversation has also been shaped by the number of personal connections surrounding the fixture.
Rúben Amorim spent part of his playing career at Benfica, Gonçalo Ramos came through the Portuguese club before moving to Milan, and Diego Moreira also developed at Benfica.
Rui Costa provides another link between the clubs, having spent five seasons as a Milan player before becoming Benfica’s president.
Amorim has described Benfica as a team with a clear identity that can vary its style, use the wings and create rotations, while Marco Silva has stressed the difficulty of playing at San Siro.
There is also a competitive target behind Milan’s approach: Amorim has said that at a club of Milan’s stature there is no minimum objective in the competition and that the aim is to try to win it.
Those comments underline the importance attached to the opening fixture, but neither coach has any interest in treating the night as a historical exhibition; both sides enter it with a clear competitive purpose.

One of the clearest selection decisions is Milan’s decision to leave several established names among the substitutes while giving younger players an opportunity from the start.
Modric, Rabiot, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek and Diego Moreira are among the options available from the bench, while Hutchinson receives a starting role after Amorim specifically confirmed before the game that he was ready to begin.
For Benfica, the presence of Palhinha and Aursnes gives the midfield a combination of defensive protection and experience, while Sudakov operates in an advanced creative position behind Durán.
Gonçalo Ramos adds another layer to the occasion because his first European match for Milan against his former club comes at the stadium where the Rossoneri are beginning their continental campaign.
Milan have never lost a major European meeting with Benfica, winning four and drawing two of the previous six encounters, although those historical results do not determine the opening night in 2026.
Variation rule: this article deliberately begins with the two clubs’ different European journeys, then moves through confirmed tactical structures, personal connections and finally the selection decisions rather than following a standard injury-first preview.

🩺 Official Medical & Availability File

AC Milan’s official match preview states that the entire first-team group is available for the European opener. Benfica’s latest official training report confirms that Alexander Bah trained without limitations, so he is not listed below as an injury absence. Benfica have, however, previously confirmed that Jaden Umeh underwent surgery for a right-thigh muscle injury and was still recovering in the club’s August medical updates.

No additional first-team injury has been included without current official confirmation. In particular, Alexander Bah trained fully with Benfica on September 15, despite earlier reports having listed him with a shoulder problem.

🔵 Confirmed Matchday Elevens

The starting teams have been confirmed ahead of kick-off, so the tables below use the named selections rather than projected lineups.

📌 Points to Follow Before Kick-Off

• Milan begin their 2026/27 Europa League campaign at San Siro after an unbeaten opening four Serie A matches.
• Benfica reached the league phase through three qualifying rounds and have taken 16 points from their first six league matches.
• Milan’s confirmed 3-4-2-1 includes Gonçalo Ramos, Omari Hutchinson and Alphadjo Cisse in the attacking unit.
• Benfica’s confirmed 4-2-3-1 places João Palhinha and Fredrik Aursnes behind Dodi Lukébakio, Jakub Kaminski and Heorhiy Sudakov.
• AC Milan’s official preview states that all first-team players are available for the match.
• Benfica confirmed that Alexander Bah trained without limitations on September 15, while Jaden Umeh remained a documented long-term medical absence.