AC Milan’s first defeat of the 2026/27 season has arrived early, and the 1-0 setback against Benfica at San Siro has left Ruben Amorim with a familiar concern: his side are not producing enough chances and are not getting sufficient numbers into the penalty area.
Milan’s early-season comparison
The Benfica loss was Milan’s first home defeat against the Portuguese club, but its significance extends beyond one European evening. Amorim’s opening weeks have brought two victories, two draws and a defeat across Serie A and Europe, with seven goals scored and six conceded.
In the league, Milan have collected eight points. Their European campaign, however, began with no points after 90 minutes against Benfica.
- Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan started the 2025/26 league season with four wins and one loss from their first five matches, reaching 12 points.
- That side scored nine goals and conceded only two, while playing no European competition during the same period.
- Allegri’s team then went on a run of 24 matches without defeat before their second-half decline, which ended with Milan outside the Champions League places.
- Amorim’s current group have recorded two wins and two draws before the Benfica defeat, with their first loss coming in Europe.
A different fixture list, a difficult start
The comparison requires context. Allegri’s first five opponents in 2025/26 were Cremonese, Lecce, Bologna, Udinese and Napoli, with three of those fixtures played at San Siro.
Amorim’s first five games have come against Torino, Venezia, Juventus, Lazio and Benfica. Three were away from home, and the schedule has included European football from the outset.
Still, the numbers underline why the opening phase is already being examined closely. Allegri’s Milan had more league points, more goals and a stronger defensive record at the equivalent stage. Amorim’s side have faced a more demanding calendar, but Benfica exposed the issue the coach himself identified: Milan are not creating enough and are too rarely filling the area when attacks develop.
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AC Milan’s Amorim faces early questions after Benfica defeat
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AC Milan’s 2026/27 start under Ruben Amorim is compared with Massimiliano Allegri’s previous opening after Benfica won at San Siro.
