AC Milan vs Benfica Predicted Lineups: Team News for Europa League Clash
AC Milan open their UEFA Europa League League Stage campaign in Milan against a Benfica side that arrives in excellent continental form. With both clubs starting this phase on 0 points and 0 games played, this fixture is a key early marker in the battle for qualification from the League Round and, ultimately, the play-off positions.
In the overall standings picture, Benfica are listed 4th in the League Round bracket, while AC Milan sit 23rd, both yet to kick a ball in this Europa League season. That ranking reflects Benfica’s recent European momentum rather than current points, and it underlines why many expect the Portuguese side to travel with confidence. For supporters tracking predicted lineups rather than waiting for official team sheets, this clash offers a fascinating contrast between Milan’s retooled squad and a Benfica outfit that has already showcased a prolific attack in Europe.
Benfica’s league form string of LWWDWW, combined with 19 goals scored and just 6 conceded across their recent fixtures in this competition framework, suggests they will come to San Siro with an attacking mindset. AC Milan, meanwhile, are a blank slate statistically in this Europa League season, which makes the expected starting lineup and tactical approach a central part of the pre-match intrigue.
AC Milan Team News & Expected Lineups Today
AC Milan enter this League Stage opener without any officially listed injuries or suspensions in the available data. That means the coaching staff should have a full squad to choose from, giving them flexibility to balance experience and youth. With no form data yet in this Europa League campaign, the expected approach is a cautious but technically strong setup, looking to control tempo in midfield and use pace in wide attacking areas.
Given the strength of Benfica’s recent attacking record, Milan are likely to prioritize defensive solidity with a compact back line in front of an experienced goalkeeper, supported by a physically robust midfield. The expected lineup will lean on senior figures like M. Maignan, F. Tomori, R. Loftus-Cheek and L. Modrić to provide structure and leadership, while mobile forwards such as S. Chukwueze and Gonçalo Ramos offer penetration on transitions.
AC Milan Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup
Predicted Starting XI:
GK: M. Maignan
DF: F. Tomori, M. Gabbia, Mario Gila, D. Bartesaghi
MF: R. Loftus-Cheek, L. Modrić, Y. Musah, C. Pulišić
FW: Gonçalo Ramos, S. Chukwueze
This predicted lineup for AC Milan is built around an experienced spine and a technically gifted midfield unit. M. Maignan is the clear first-choice in goal, offering elite shot-stopping and distribution. At the back, F. Tomori and M. Gabbia provide a strong central pairing, with Mario Gila as additional defensive quality and D. Bartesaghi giving balance and energy on the flank. The expectation is for a disciplined, relatively deep defensive block to limit Benfica’s central combinations.
In midfield, R. Loftus-Cheek and L. Modrić offer a blend of ball-carrying, creativity and control, while Y. Musah adds athleticism and pressing intensity. C. Pulišić, listed as a midfielder, is likely to operate high between the lines, linking midfield to attack and drifting into half-spaces. Up front, Gonçalo Ramos and S. Chukwueze form a dangerous attacking duo: Ramos as the central reference point and penalty-box finisher, Chukwueze as the direct wide threat who can attack Benfica’s full-backs and exploit transitions. Even without Europa League-specific goal and assist numbers in the data for Milan, this group profiles as their most dangerous offensive combination on paper.
Benfica Team News & Expected Lineups Today
Benfica travel to Milan with two confirmed absentees: A. Bah is ruled out as a missing fixture due to injury, and Bruma is also unavailable, listed as off the roster. Aside from those two, there are no additional missing players recorded, so the visitors can still field a very strong side. Their Europa League league form string of LWWDWW and a recent attacking output of 19 goals in 6 fixtures underline why they are viewed as one of the more dangerous sides in the competition.
For supporters looking at lineups today rather than waiting for official confirmation, Benfica’s expected setup is clearly attack-minded. They have consistently used attacking shapes, most commonly a 4-2-3-1 or a similarly fluid structure, in their recent Europa League matches. With prolific forward V. Pavlidis leading the competition’s scoring charts and supported by creative threats like Rafa and A. Schjelderup, Benfica are likely to press high, dominate territory and look to create overloads in the final third.
Benfica Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup
Predicted Starting XI:
GK: A. Trubin
DF: C. Lenglet, Tomás Araújo, S. El Karouani, S. Dahl
MF: João Palhinha, L. Barreiro, H. Sudakov, J. Kamiński, Rafa
FW: V. Pavlidis
In goal, A. Trubin is the standout choice, with Samuel Soares and Diogo Ferreira providing depth. At the back, C. Lenglet and Tomás Araújo both appear in the Europa League scoring and minutes data, which suggests they have been heavily involved and productive from defensive positions. S. El Karouani and S. Dahl, listed as defenders, round out a back four that combines aerial strength with the ability to support build-up play.
The midfield zone is where Benfica’s predicted lineup looks particularly strong. João Palhinha brings ball-winning and positional discipline, while L. Barreiro and H. Sudakov have both contributed assists in this Europa League season, underlining their importance in progression and chance creation. J. Kamiński offers width and crossing quality from midfield, and Rafa – with 2 goals and 1 assist – is a key attacking midfielder who drifts into pockets, combines with the striker and attacks space between the lines.
Up front, V. Pavlidis is the focal point. With 5 goals and 1 assist in just 3 Europa League appearances, he is one of the competition’s standout forwards so far. His presence not only provides a constant goal threat but also occupies central defenders, creating space for runners like Rafa, A. Schjelderup or D. Lukebakio (who are strong bench or rotation options) to exploit. Even with A. Bah unavailable, Benfica’s predicted starting lineup remains stacked with players who appear near the top of the goals and assists charts, reinforcing their status as a dangerous attacking side.
Injuries and Suspended Players Impact
The absences picture is relatively light but still potentially influential. AC Milan have no listed injuries or suspensions for this fixture, so their coach can rotate and tailor the selection purely on tactical grounds. Benfica, by contrast, must cope without one starting-calibre defender and one attacking option, which slightly trims their depth on the right side.
AC Milan Absences:
- No significant absences reported.
Benfica Absences:
- A. Bah — Injury (Missing Fixture)
- Bruma — Off the roster (Missing Fixture)
Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up
On paper, this looks like a classic clash between a structured, balanced home side and an in-form, high-scoring visitor. AC Milan’s predicted back four of F. Tomori, M. Gabbia, Mario Gila and D. Bartesaghi is built to protect central areas and restrict service into V. Pavlidis. Tomori’s pace and recovery defending will be crucial against Benfica’s vertical passing and through balls, while Gabbia’s aerial strength will be tested by crosses aimed at Pavlidis. Wide, Milan’s full-backs must also manage the overlapping and underlapping runs from Rafa, J. Kamiński and potentially A. Schjelderup or D. Lukebakio if they feature.
In midfield, the battle between Milan’s trio of R. Loftus-Cheek, L. Modrić and Y. Musah and Benfica’s combination of João Palhinha, L. Barreiro and H. Sudakov will likely decide control of the match. Palhinha’s ball-winning could disrupt Modrić’s rhythm, but if Milan’s Croatian playmaker finds time and space, he can dictate tempo and feed C. Pulišić and S. Chukwueze in advanced zones. Benfica’s data shows they spread their goals across all phases of the game, with particularly strong output between minutes 31–45 and 76–90, indicating a side that can accelerate before half-time and finish strongly. Milan must therefore manage the game’s emotional and physical swings, especially late on, where Benfica’s bench options (A. Schjelderup, D. Lukebakio, J. Durán, G. Prestianni) can change the dynamic.
Out wide, S. Chukwueze’s direct running against S. El Karouani or S. Dahl is a key outlet for Milan, especially on transitions when Benfica commit numbers forward. Conversely, Benfica will look to drag Milan’s full-backs inside with underlapping movements from Rafa and J. Kamiński, opening channels for overlaps and cut-backs. With Benfica’s Europa League statistics highlighting both prolific scoring and a tendency to concede away from home (average of 1.3 goals conceded away), the tactical expectation is an open game where Milan’s ability to counter-attack and Benfica’s structured pressing and combination play are both on display.
Match Prediction and Verdict
Prediction models lean slightly towards Benfica despite the match being played in Milan. The outcome probabilities are split at 0% for an AC Milan win, 50% for a draw and 50% for a Benfica victory. That effectively frames this as a contest where the visitors’ superior recent form and attacking numbers offset home advantage. Benfica’s league form of LWWDWW, their 19 goals scored and only 6 conceded in the relevant sample, and the presence of the competition’s leading scorer V. Pavlidis all support that view.
The betting markets, however, are more nuanced. Across major bookmakers, home odds for AC Milan range roughly from 2.05 to 2.14, implying a win probability of around 46.7–48.8%. Draw odds between 3.40 and 3.62 correspond to an implied probability of about 27.6–29.4%, while away odds for Benfica between 3.20 and 3.49 translate to roughly 28.7–31.3%. That makes Milan marginal favourites with the market, but the model-based prediction still gives Benfica a strong chance, particularly given their proven scoring power and sharper recent form.
Predicted Outcome: AC Milan 1–1 Benfica
With the goals field in the prediction data not providing a usable numeric scoreline for the away team, a balanced 1–1 draw best aligns with the 50% draw probability and Benfica’s slight edge as the expected winner. Milan’s home strength and full squad availability suggest they can match Benfica on the night, even if the Portuguese side carry the more convincing recent European record.
How to Watch AC Milan vs Benfica Worldwide
Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:
- Spain: Local sports broadcaster / streaming platform
- UK: Major sports network or official UEFA Europa League rights holder
- USA / North America: Regional sports streaming service with UEFA rights
- South America: Continental sports channel and associated streaming app
- MENA: Regional pay-TV sports network and official digital platform
