Hutchinson Could Start Milan’s Europa League Opener Against Benfica

The opening UEFA Europa League group-stage match for AC Milan and SL Benfica will take place at the 75,000-capacity Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, universally known as San Siro. Milan manager Ruben Amorim is considering a change to his starting lineup, with recent arrival Omari Hutchinson under strong consideration for his first start in Italian football.

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Hutchinson joined AC Milan from English Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the closing days of the summer transfer window. The London-born attacking midfielder represents Jamaica internationally after previously featuring for England at youth level, and he came through the academy systems of Charlton Athletic, Arsenal, and Chelsea.

His competitive debut for the Rossoneri came against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where he entered as a second-half substitute and played 18 minutes. According to Italian sports outlet *Calcio Mercato*, Milan’s coaching staff were impressed by his technical control, acceleration, and directness in one-on-one situations along the flank.

The same qualities had already attracted Milan’s sporting department late in the transfer window. During his time in England, Hutchinson demonstrated high-frequency dribbling and lateral movement, adding depth to Milan’s attacking options across domestic and international fixtures. He can operate as a right winger, attacking midfielder, or central forward.

Amorim has also evaluated Hutchinson during training sessions at the Milanello complex, and that work has reportedly accelerated the player’s integration into the first-team rotation. Final squad decisions are typically made on the day of the match, but the coaching staff view his speed and perimeter dynamic as tools that could help break down Benfica’s defensive line.

A start against Benfica would be Hutchinson’s full debut for the club less than a month after his arrival in Italy. It would also place the 20-year-old on the European stage as Milan manages a dense autumn fixture calendar while balancing its Serie A schedule.

The match brings together two clubs with extensive continental histories. AC Milan have won the European Cup and UEFA Champions League seven times, while Benfica, based in Lisbon, have won two European Cups and 38 Portuguese Primeira Liga titles.

The fixture is Milan’s pursuit of continental silverware alongside its domestic campaign, while Hutchinson’s move from English football to Serie A reflects the movement of young talent to European leagues for tactical development.