GdS: Predicted XIs for Milan vs. Benfica – no Pulisic, Modric, Moreira or Gila

AC Milan are back on the European stage this evening after an absence of 18 months, as they take on Benfica at San Siro.

Milan are unbeaten in the league having won two and drawn two, but attention now turns to continental competition and the first game against one of the other favourites to lift the trophy. Benfica have started the season very well under Marco Silva, so it promises to be a tough test.

AC Milan vs. Benfica: Predicted starting XIs

La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gonçalo Ramos will be the one leading the line for Milan against the team he played for from 2013 to 2023, before his big-money move to PSG and subsequent club-record switch to Milan.

He will be flanked by the youthful attacking midfield duo of Omari Hutchinson – who would be making his first start since arriving on loan from Nottingham Forest – and the top scorer Alphadjo Cisse.

Samuel Chukwueze and Davide Bartesaghi are currently tipped to be the wing-back duo despite Diego Moreira scoring a brace against Lazio (he too is another ex-Benfica man). They should flank the dynamic double pivot of Ardon Jashari and Yunus Musah.

Then, the three-man defence is tipped to be Filippo Terracciano, Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic. It means a rest for Mario Gila and a first start for Terracciano, ahead of the goalkeeper and captain Mike Maignan.

Predicted Milan XI (3-4-2-1): Maignan; F. Terracciano, De Winter, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Musah, Jashari, Bartesaghi; Hutchinson, Cisse; Ramos.

Predicted bench: P. Terracciano, Torriani, Tomori, Gabbia, Gila, Diawara, Moreira, Rabiot, Comotto, Saelemaekers, Estupinan, Modric, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Camarda.

Predicted Benfica XI (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Banjaqui, Circati, Lenglet, Dahl; Palhinha, Aursnes; Lukebakio, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Duran.

Predicted bench: Soares, Ferreira, Araujo, El Karouani, Bah, Barrenechea, Manu Silva, Barreiro, Echeverri, Cabral, Prestianni, Rafa Silva, Pavlidis.