AC Milan vs Benfica Europa League Clash: Team Updates, Lineups & Broadcast Info
AC Milan Hosts Benfica in Europa League Opener
The San Siro will be the stage for an exciting Europa League match on Wednesday as AC Milan welcome Benfica. The kickoff is set for 21:00 CET / 3:00 p.m. ET. Both teams are historic clubs that missed out on last season's Champions League and now meet to start their European campaigns.
Current Form and Key Storylines
AC Milan remain unbeaten in Serie A after four games, collecting two wins and two draws. Their latest match saw them come from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against Lazio, with a standout performance by Diego Moreira, who scored twice off the bench. Meanwhile, Benfica arrive in excellent shape under Marco Silva, boasting a seven-match winning streak across all competitions. Their recent victory was a 3-1 comeback over Gil Vicente.
A notable angle is the history between coaches and players. Ruben Amorim, Benfica's manager, spent nine years as a player with the club and has faced Benfica several times as Sporting's coach, often with success. Historically, Benfica have never defeated AC Milan in six competitive meetings, including two European Cup finals in 1963 and 1990.
Team News for AC Milan
Coach Amorim is expected to rotate his squad. Defenders Mattia Gabbia and Mario Gila are fit after minor issues but probably only one will start. Luka Modrić’s participation remains doubtful; at 41, his absence seems like a tactical choice rather than injury-related. Former Benfica academy product Gonçalo Ramos is likely to start, with Christian Pulisic, Alphadjo Cissé, and Samuel Chukwueze competing for other attacking roles.
Benfica Lineup Details
Alexander Bah is out with a shoulder injury, so right-back duties might fall to Fredrik Aursnes or Daniel Banjaqui. Vangelis Pavlidis, with six goals in qualifiers, leads Benfica’s attack. Marco Silva could also rotate players ahead of a challenging league match against Porto on Sunday.
Confirmed Starting Lineups
- AC Milan: Formation and lineup to be announced
- Benfica: Formation and lineup to be announced
Broadcast Information
- USA: CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ (English), DAZN USA (Spanish)
- Canada: DAZN Canada, FuboTV
- UK: TNT Sports 2
- Italy: Sky Sports 252
- Portugal: SporTV-5
Both teams bring rich European experience and good momentum into this clash. AC Milan look to make an impact in the Europa League for the first time since the 2020-21 season, while Benfica aim to extend their strong run in a fresh competition. The night promises to be fiercely competitive at the San Siro.
