Milan’s trip to Salzburg is more than another Europa League appointment. With eight matches scheduled in less than a month, Ruben Amorim is preparing to rotate heavily, but for several members of his squad the evening also carries the weight of a personal verdict.
Francesco Camarda, Omari Hutchinson, Ardon Jashari, Fikayo Tomori and Davide Bartesaghi are set to be closely watched, while Christian Comotto could receive his first minutes of the campaign. Salzburg offers a route back into contention for players who have either been used sparingly or are still searching for a clear place in Amorim’s plans.
Quick facts
- Milan face Salzburg in Austria in the Europa League, with kick-off at 18:45.
- Amorim must manage a run of eight matches in under one month.
- Camarda is expected to make his first start of the season after only eight minutes across seven appearances.
- Tomori is due to make his seasonal debut after Matteo Gabbia’s injury altered Milan’s defensive options.
- Comotto, 18, has not yet played this season and may feature from the bench.
Camarda’s case is the most immediate. The 18-year-old has largely been deputy to Gonçalo Ramos, collecting only eight minutes in seven matches, but is in line to begin in Salzburg. Amorim backed him in the summer after the forward scored twice in a friendly against Celtic, saying he believed strongly in him.
The striker already knows how quickly a European night can change perception. Two years ago, he came on against Club Brugge at San Siro in the Champions League and had a goal ruled out for offside. Milan remain willing to work with a young player, but opportunities at a club of this size do not remain open indefinitely.
Bartesaghi has travelled a different road. He has slipped from regular starter to reserve within a year, with Amorim generally favouring Estupinan on the left, even though the latter has not always offered consistency.
Against Sassuolo, Bartesaghi remained unused for the entire match as Amorim instead moved Moreira into the wide role. The coach appears to prefer greater running power and one-on-one ability from that position, but Bartesaghi retains a valuable attribute in his delivery from wide areas.
The Italy Under-21 international showed good condition during the recent break with Baldini’s side. He has made only two starts this season and was withdrawn in both, amounting to fewer than 180 minutes in all competitions. His league contribution amounts to two substitute appearances and 18 minutes, while his only European start came in the opening match against Benfica, when he played one half.
In Salzburg, Bartesaghi is expected to return to his natural position at left-back. It is an opportunity to argue that his current role has understated his value.
Hutchinson remains one of the squad’s less defined figures. The English-born Jamaica international may be used as a winger or behind the striker, and Amorim will use the Austrian trip to gain a clearer answer.
He did not make the desired impact after coming on at Reggio Emilia on Sunday, but his earlier moments showed why Milan are still assessing him. He made a positive debut in Turin and helped force the own goal that sealed the 2-0 win over Venezia after entering as a substitute.
Quick, skilful and willing to take on opponents, Hutchinson also possesses a useful shot despite his slight 1.74-metre frame. His recent appearances have been limited, however, and a start in Salzburg gives him a chance to restore momentum.
Jashari is also seeking a more convincing second chapter. He started against Benfica without fully persuading, and questions remain over his best role: holding midfielder, attacking midfielder or one of the central players in a two-man midfield.
Under Allegri last season, the Swiss player occupied an unsettled hybrid role. Injuries and uneven form prevented him from establishing himself, despite Milan’s investment of close to €40 million. The club are not ready to draw early conclusions, but they need signs that his qualities can be given a stable function.
Tomori’s return is perhaps the sharpest reminder of how fast a season can turn. In mid-August, the English defender was close to joining Fulham after spending much of the summer on the margins of Milan’s project. He was subsequently reintegrated into the group and brought back into the defensive rotation.
Gabbia’s injury has now raised Tomori’s standing. He is viewed as a more dependable replacement than the younger Terracciano and Diawara, both of whom remain at an earlier stage of development. Tomori is likely to operate at full-back in Salzburg, a role he has performed before.
A regular under Allegri, he has become a second-choice option under Amorim. His first appearance of the season therefore arrives as a chance to make himself difficult to overlook again.
Comotto completes the group of players with something to prove. Like Camarda, he is 18 and agreed a contract extension until 2031 in July. He is not expected to start in Austria, but Amorim could turn to him during the match.
The midfielder faces particularly strong competition in his area of the squad, where the route to minutes is more crowded than in attack. Yet the coming sequence of fixtures should spread opportunities across the group. Allegri admired Comotto during the tour, and the teenager also made a positive impression on Amorim in the summer. Milan’s demanding schedule may now provide the opening he has been waiting for.
