AC Milan vs Benfica – Predicted lineup and team news

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The Football Faithful

·16 September 2026

AC Milan vs Benfica – Predicted lineup and team news

AC Milan begin their European campaign on Wednesday, welcoming Benfica to the San Siro for their first Europa League fixture of the season.

The Rossoneri arrive in continental competition riding an unbroken domestic streak under Rúben Amorim. Across their first four Serie A games, they have gathered two victories and two stalemates. Recent momentum has dipped slightly after back-to-back high-scoring draws: a thrilling 2-2 result away at Lazio and a 1-1 standoff versus Juventus. That leaves them with a 50% win rate in their latest outings; their forward line continues to look dangerous, yet defensive frailties remain evident.

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AC Milan team news

Milan step into this Europa League opener with an almost clean bill of health, offering Amorim plenty of options as he shapes his game plan. Centre-back Matteo Gabbia has recovered from a recent knock and is back with the group, while English winger Omari Hutchinson is fully available and set to feature prominently. Even with a fit squad, Amorim is expected to rotate heavily after the successive domestic draws.

Christian Pulisic, Adrien Rabiot, and veteran midfielder Luka Modrić—will start on the bench as part of workload management. Amorim is likely to line up in a flexible 3-4-2-1 shape, handing starting roles to younger defenders such as Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlović, with Yanis Cissé and Gonçalo Ramos leading the attack at San Siro.