Milan’s return to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for the opening matchday of the UEFA Europa League 2026/2027 league phase ended in defeat, as Benfica produced the sharper finishing and the stronger goalkeeping performance to win 2-0 on a wet evening in Milano.
Both teams arrived with momentum, but the pre-match picture was not reflected in the scoreline. Milan had drawn twice in their previous two outings and had not lost in five matches. Benfica, by contrast, entered the contest on five consecutive wins and had gone 12 matches without defeat. Those records shaped an initially cautious, closely balanced contest, with Milan enjoying the greater share of possession and taking the more territorial route.
Benfica’s decisive advantage lay in converting a limited number of opportunities with precision and preserving their lead through Anatoliy Trubin’s work between the posts. The Ukrainian goalkeeper was outstanding, making repeated interventions to ensure Milan’s pressure never turned into an equaliser.
Match report
Milan began with a 3-4-2-1 formation under Ruben Amorim, with Samuel Chukwueze among the attacking players and Gonçalo Ramos leading the line. Benfica countered with Marco Silva’s 4-2-3-1, placing Dodi Lukébakio and Jakub Kamiński behind Jhon Durán and supported from midfield by Fredrik Aursnes and João Palhinha.
The first breakthrough arrived after 16 minutes and owed much to a well-worked Benfica move. Jakub Kamiński supplied the assist for Dodi Lukébakio, who finished clinically with his left foot to give the visitors the lead. The move was low in expected-goal value, but its execution was immaculate. Milan’s defenders had been drawn into the shape of the move, and Lukébakio found the space to complete it with an assured left-footed strike.
That goal altered the nature of the contest. Milan increased their attacking presence and earned more corners, possession and entries into the opposition area, yet Benfica remained secure in their defensive structure. Trubin became increasingly important as Milan searched for a response, producing the saves that kept his side in front.
Milan made two changes at the interval, introducing Christian Pulisic for Omari Hutchinson and Mario Gila for Filippo Terracciano. The hosts’ intent was clear, although their final execution remained insufficient against Benfica’s concentrated defence. Their expected goals total of 1.03 reflected that they created a meaningful volume of opportunities, but the absence of a big chance underlined how rarely they troubled Benfica in a clear, decisive way.
Benfica doubled their advantage just after the interval. Souffian El Karouani provided the assist, finding Jakub Kamiński for a right-footed finish in the 53rd minute. The goal demonstrated the visitors’ efficient movement between the lines and gave Milan a more difficult task. Kamiński, who had already created the opener, completed the scoring and finished his match with a rating of 8.58.
As the game became stretched and hurried, Benfica introduced more defensive control and fresh attacking options. The hosts continued to enjoy the ball, but their possession did not produce a second goal. Milan’s ten corners were evidence of their territorial dominance, yet Trubin dealt with the resulting danger calmly. His performance was the defining individual contribution of the evening.
Match facts
- Competition: UEFA Europa League 2026/2027, league phase, Matchday 1
- Date: 16.09.2026
- Kick-off: 19:00 UTC
- Final score: Milan 0-2 Benfica
- Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milano, Italy
- Capacity: 75817
- Attendance: 68393
- Referee: Jarred Gillett
- Weather: 21 degrees, showers in the vicinity
Goals and key moments
Dodi Lukébakio’s left-footed finish in the 16th minute was the first decisive moment. Jakub Kamiński’s pass unlocked the Benfica attack, and Lukébakio produced the clinical finish that his low 0.032 expected-goal value did not appear to anticipate at the time. The goal made the hosts chase with greater urgency and established Benfica’s counter-attacking threat.
Kamiński then moved from creator to scorer. In the 53rd minute, Souffian El Karouani delivered the assist that allowed Kamiński to finish with his right foot for 0.63 expected goals. Benfica therefore made two of their 11 shots count and scored twice without registering a big chance.
Between those goals, Milan had opportunities to respond but found Trubin in excellent form. The goalkeeper’s interventions prevented the pressure around the penalty area from translating into goals. Benfica’s second strike was also important tactically: it arrived before Milan could establish momentum from their interval changes and forced the hosts to continue the game on terms that increasingly favoured the visitors.
The tactical picture
Milan’s 60% possession and 17 shots showed that Amorim’s side controlled the ball for long spells. Their 521 accurate passes, completed at an 91% rate, allowed them to sustain pressure and circulate possession around Benfica’s defensive block. They also recorded 40 touches in the opposition box, compared with Benfica’s 17, and won ten corners to the visitors’ one.
However, possession was not the same as control. Benfica’s 4-2-3-1 offered a clear defensive structure, while Milan frequently lacked the movement needed to penetrate it. Their back three provided a platform for wide progress, but the attacks became predictable, and their attacks frequently concluded without a shot on target. Neither of Milan’s big chances column nor their big chances missed total yielded a goal, indicating that the most testing openings were scarce.
Benfica were markedly more effective when moving at speed. Kamiński’s assist for Lukébakio and El Karouani’s delivery for Kamiński both came through coherent combinations rather than prolonged spells of pressure. The away side’s nine interceptions also helped them disrupt Milan’s passing lanes and turn defensive actions into outlets.
The substitutions shaped the closing phase. Milan’s introduction of Pulisic and Gila at half-time increased their ambition, while Alexis Saelemaekers and Diego Moreira later added fresh energy. Adrien Rabiot replaced Ardon Jashari in the 73rd minute. Benfica, meanwhile, brought on Leandro Barreiro and Gianluca Prestianni in the 70th minute, Andreas Schjelderup and Vangelis Pavlidis in the 80th, and Samuel Dahl in the 88th. Those changes helped preserve their advantage as the hosts pressed forward.
Statistical comparison
Milan led the main attacking indicators. They had 17 shots to Benfica’s 11, put four shots on target apiece and registered 1.03 expected goals compared with 0.63 for the visitors. Milan also made 40 touches in the opposition box, while Benfica managed 17.
Benfica’s advantage was concentrated in defensive resistance and execution. The visitors made nine interceptions to Milan’s four and were shown five yellow cards, compared with one for the hosts, though neither team had a player dismissed. Benfica also missed all of their big chances, but that single clear opening was converted, while Milan failed to create a big chance despite their greater volume of attacks.
The passing figures reflected Milan’s ball control but did not reveal a decisive territorial gain: 521 accurate passes at 91% compared with Benfica’s 324 at 85%. Milan committed 14 fouls and Benfica 12, with the corners ending 10-1 to the hosts.
Discipline and substitutions
Strahinja Pavlović was booked for Milan in the 11th minute. Benfica’s first caution arrived in the 26th minute when Souffian El Karouani was booked, followed by Jhon Durán in the 37th minute. Daniel Banjaqui received a yellow card in the 77th minute, Leandro Barreiro in the 85th and Vangelis Pavlidis in stoppage time at 90+2 minutes. No red cards were issued.
Milan made five substitutions. Christian Pulisic and Mario Gila came on at the interval, Alexis Saelemaekers and Diego Moreira followed in the 57th minute, and Adrien Rabiot replaced Ardon Jashari in the 73rd.
Benfica also used five substitutes. Leandro Barreiro and Gianluca Prestianni entered in the 70th minute. Andreas Schjelderup replaced Jakub Kamiński and Vangelis Pavlidis replaced Jhon Durán in the 80th, before Samuel Dahl took the place of Souffian El Karouani in the 88th. The visitors removed both goalscorers late in the contest, adding to their control of the closing stages.
Player of the match and the standout performers
Anatoliy Trubin was the player of the match with a rating of 8.6. His command of the penalty area, positioning and handling helped him play the full 90 minutes without conceding. Milan had four shots on target, and Trubin’s intervention on those moments preserved Benfica’s lead.
Kamiński was almost his equal, rated 8.58. He contributed an assist and a goal, making direct contributions to both of Benfica’s breakthroughs. Lukébakio, rated 8.18, scored the opener, while Daniel Banjaqui and Tomás Araújo each received ratings of 7.96 and 7.95 respectively.
For Milan, Samuel Chukwueze was the highest-rated player with 7.6. Mario Gila followed at 7.03, with Yunus Musah on 6.94 and Davide Bartesaghi on 6.71. Their contributions reflected a committed performance, but Milan lacked a player whose output matched Trubin’s decisive influence.
What the result means for the league phase
Benfica begin the league phase eighth in the 36-team table with three points, having scored twice and conceded none. Their goal difference of plus two reflects a clean sheet and two successful finishes in a match that offered only one big chance. The victory also extends Benfica’s unbeaten run to 12 matches and confirms the winning form that preceded this fixture.
Milan sit 30th with no points and a goal difference of minus two after their first defeat. Their second half produced increased pressure, but the scoreline exposes the difference between territory and penetration. Ten corners and 60% possession did not compensate for Benfica’s efficiency and Trubin’s performance.
The opening result establishes opposite objectives for the rest of the league phase. Benfica have demonstrated an ability to win with limited possession and a modest shot total, while Milan must turn territorial control into clearer chances and make their home attacking pressure count. At the end of Matchday 1, however, Benfica’s composure and finishing left Milan facing the more demanding side of the division.