CorSera: Why the Europa League is a ‘Plan B’ for Milan to achieve their true objective
After a year and a half of absence, AC Milan will return to the European stage tonight at San Siro against Benfica.
As Corriere della Sera (via MilanNews) point out this morning, it certainly wasn’t the spotlight that Milan wanted to play under as Champions League football slipped away on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign after a near-vertical collapse under Massimiliano Allegri.
Despite this, the Europa League is also a very important objective for the season, as Ruben Amorim clearly made clear in yesterday’s press conference. It is also another way to return to the European competition that matters.
The ‘Plan B’
Gerry Cardinale and Amorim talk about wanting to win, as is right and ambitious, but it can be said that Milan’s realistic goal this year is to return to the Champions League. In this light, the Europa League also takes on significant appeal.
For the Diavolo, it effectively becomes a ‘Plan B’ for regaining Champions League qualification. Given the fierce competition in the Italian league for the four or five spots available, winning the Europa League remains a credible alternative route to achieving the same goal.
It won’t be easy, as it is a tough competition with lots of quality sides in, one of whom the Rossoneri will face tonight. At the same time, Milan are one of the clear favourites, along with Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen.
In the pre-match press conference, Amorim didn’t hold back and emphasised that Milan is here to win the trophy. Indeed, he even added weight by saying it would be a failure not to win the competition at the end of the season.
Milan’s journey in the competition begins with an exciting Champions League-worthy match against Benfica, in the ever-enchanting setting of San Siro. It’s a return to the past for many key players too.
Amorim played for Benfica for almost his entire career and even lost a Europa League final with them. Gonçalo Ramos was there for years, and declared he views the Portuguese club as family. Diego Moreira is another past there.
The Portuguese giants also have someone at the helm that Milan know well and who should get a great reception at San Siro: Manuel Rui Costa, currently the club president.
