UEFA Europa League Gameweek 1
AC Milan 0 - 2 FT Benfica
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Futmetrix Verdict
52
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Bournemouth
3-0
AC Milan
⚡ Intensity
75
⚖️ Balance
20
🏆 Stakes
3
🎲 Upset
0
Two penalties, one red card, total control
Futmetrix Verdict
26
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Sturm Graz
1-0
Marseille
⚡ Intensity
22
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
11
🎲 Upset
60
Diakité struck; Marseille never answered
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
D. Lukebakio (J. Kaminski) 16'
Jhon Durán 37'
HT
46' ↓ O. Hutchinson ↑C. Pulisic
46' ↓ F. Terracciano ↑M. Gila
J. Kaminski (S. El Karouani) 53'
57' ↓ D. Bartesaghi ↑A. Saelemaekers
57' ↓ A. Cisse ↑D. Moreira
↓ F. Aursnes ↑L. Barreiro 70'
↓ G. Sudakov ↑G. Prestianni 70'
73' ↓ A. Jashari ↑A. Rabiot
Daniel Banjaqui 77'
↓ J. Duran ↑V. Pavlidis 80'
↓ J. Kaminski ↑A. Schjelderup 80'
Leandro Barreiro 84'
↓ S. El Karouani ↑S. Dahl 88'
Vangelis Pavlidis 90'+2
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
AC Milan
Goalkeepers
Mike Maignan 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Filippo Terracciano 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Koni De Winter 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Strahinja Pavlović 
MAGNET
92
Activity
92
Activity
76
Passes
16
Duels
Midfielders
Samuel Chukwueze 
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Ardon Jashari
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
Yunus Musah
MAGNET
66
Activity
66
Activity
63
Passes
3
Duels
Davide Bartesaghi
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
25%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Omari Hutchinson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Alphadjo Cissè
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
57
Total Mins
57
Entry
Gonçalo Ramos
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
BENCH
Lorenzo Torriani 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Fikayo Tomori
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Pervis Estupiñán
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mario Gila
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
47
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Matteo Gabbia
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luka Modrić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Adrien Rabiot
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christian Pulišić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
47
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alexis Saelemaekers
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
35
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Diego Moreira
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
35
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Francesco Camarda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Benfica
Goalkeepers
Anatoliy Trubin
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Daniel Banjaqui 
ENFORCER
7
Tackles
7
Tackles
10
Duels Won
71%
Win %
Alessandro Circati
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tomás Araújo 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
83%
Duel Win %
Souffian El Karouani 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.3
Rating
Midfielders
Fredrik Aursnes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
70
Total Mins
70
Entry
João Palhinha 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
4
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Dodi Lukebakio 
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
3
Shots
8.2
Rating
Heorhiy Sudakov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
70
Total Mins
70
Entry
Jakub Kamiński 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Forwards
Jhon Jader Durán
LATE SHIFT
10
Late Mins
10
Late Mins
80
Total Mins
80
Entry
BENCH
Samuel Soares
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Clément Lenglet
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Samuel Dahl
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Leandro Barreiro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Manuel Silva
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Claudio Echeverri
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Enzo Barrenechea
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rafa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gianluca Prestianni
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Anisio
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vangelis Pavlidis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Andreas Schjelderup
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
League Standings
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
AC Milan
Benfica
AC Milan
Benfica
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Benfica's Clinical Edge Stuns San Siro
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 31/100. Benfica delivered a masterclass in counter-attacking football to upset AC Milan on their own turf, proving that ruthless finishing beats sterile possession.
The Early Strike
The atmosphere at San Siro/Giuseppe Meazza was electric, but Benfica wasted no time flipping the script. Despite AC Milan having the ball right out of the gate—they dominated possession with a whopping 61%—it was the visitors who carried the real threat. The Intensity of the opening exchanges tipped heavily toward the Portuguese side on the counter. In the 16th minute, J. Kaminski picked out D. Lukebakio, who buried a precise finish to silence the home crowd. It was a textbook smash-and-grab sequence. Milan controlled the midfield zones but looked entirely toothless when approaching the final third, spraying off-target shots and struggling to turn their passing volume into genuine terror for the away defence.
The Portuguese Wall
Staring down a deficit, the hosts threw everything forward, turning the match into a siege. The home side earned nine corners and peppered the box with 16 total shots, but the Upset factor was brewing largely thanks to one man between the sticks. Anatoliy Trubin delivered an absolute masterclass in goal. He commanded his area brilliantly, making four vital saves to frustrate Rafael Leão and the rest of the Rossoneri attack. Ahead of him, Tomás Araújo anchored a defensive line that simply refused to buckle under mounting pressure. Milan hurled crosses into the box and racked up touches in dangerous areas, but Benfica's disciplined shape meant those attacking waves continually crashed against an immovable rock.
The Decisive Blow
If the Italian giants hoped halftime would reset the Balance, they were severely mistaken. Rather than sitting deep to protect their slender lead, the Eagles struck again to put the game to bed early in the second half. Just eight minutes after the restart, S. El Karouani slipped a clever ball through to Kaminski, who added a goal to his earlier assist. At 2-0, the wind was completely knocked out of Milan's sails. The hosts continued to dominate the ball, but the belief was visibly gone. A barrage of desperate, long-range efforts sailed wide or were easily blocked. This was a ruthless away performance that exposed a glaring lack of cutting edge for the home side on a disappointing European night.
Key Questions
What made Anatoliy Trubin the Man of the Match?
Trubin was a brick wall, making four crucial saves to deny Milan and secure a massive clean sheet away from home.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Early European Sparring Offers More Questions Than Answers
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 85/100. This opening Europa League fixture feels more like a tactical rehearsal than a high-stakes continental showdown.
The Setup
September 16, 2026, marks the opening day of the UEFA Europa League league stage. AC Milan host Benfica in a fixture that looks better on paper than the underlying metrics suggest. The Stakes are predictably low at this early juncture. Both sides have plenty of runway to secure top-eight direct qualification or reach the playoff line. Milan are marginal favourites, holding a slight edge in probability, but the margins are tight. The Balance rating is off the charts, pointing to an evenly matched affair. The hosts bring the likes of Rafael Leão and C. Pulišić into the fold, while the visitors counter with V. Pavlidis and H. Sudakov. However, a subdued Stars metric and inconsistent Form from both camps make this a potentially tough watch for neutrals.
Key Battle
Milan's attacking wingers face off against Benfica's disciplined defensive block. The hosts will look to stretch the pitch and exploit the flanks, while the visitors aim to absorb pressure and spring lightning-fast counter-attacks through the central midfield channels.
Our Prediction
Expect a cautious, probing encounter. AC Milan will dominate early possession, but Benfica's structure will frustrate them. A low-scoring draw looks highly likely as neither side wants to drop points on matchday one.