AC Milan confirmed Rúben Amorim as their new head coach on June 16, 2026, after a season that had promised more than it ultimately delivered.
What began with talk of a title push slowly unraveled into something more familiar and more frustrating, ending with a 2–1 home defeat to Cagliari on the final day. That result left Milan on 70 points, just outside the Champions League places, and settling instead for Europa League football.
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Amorim arrives from Sporting, where he built a strong reputation by winning two Portuguese league titles, two domestic cups, and a Super Cup. He is known for a clear, demanding style of play: high pressing, quick reactions after losing or winning the ball, and a team that moves with purpose rather than patience.
In Portugal, that approach brought success and control. Oh, and quite a few trophies too. In Italy, though, he will face a different kind of challenge.
Allegri’s run ends with a warning
The previous campaign was more substantial than the ending suggests. Milan followed its opening defeat to Cremonese with a 24-match unbeaten league run, reaching 54 points after 26 rounds before Parma won 1-0 at San Siro on February 22.
Allegri’s side defended well and often improved after halftime, but the spring decline exposed a lack of attacking rhythm when opponents denied space behind their back line. Amorim inherits a competitive base, not a wreck.
Glasgow reveals a fault line
Milan’s opening friendly under Amorim ended 2-2 against Celtic on July 25, with two misunderstandings during build-up contributing to the Scottish side’s first-half goals.
Eight half-time changes altered the pace, and Francesco Camarda scored twice within eight minutes to recover the draw, with Samuel Chukwueze also playing a key role.
The match showed the promise and danger of Amorim’s approach: the back three creates extra passing angles, but errors near the penalty area can leave the goalkeeper facing an immediate shot. The warning is real.
Ramos gives attacking focal point
Gonçalo Ramos arrived from Paris Saint-Germain on June 30 and is tied down until June 2031, giving Milan a forward who already knows how to press centre-backs and attack the six-yard box.
Christian Pulisic is expected to slot in as one of the two narrow attackers just behind him, picking up the ball between midfield and defence instead of hugging the touchline.
Rafael Leão remains the biggest weapon in transition, though Amorim will demand constant tracking back when possession is lost.
Luka Modrić’s one-year extension adds calm and control from deeper positions, but at 40 his minutes will have to be carefully managed across Serie A and the Europa League.
Betting prices will test new shape
A new manager and a high-profile striker often drag title odds down before anyone has really seen the system work. The first real clues will come from how high the wing-backs push, how well the outside center-backs are protected, and how stretched the midfield becomes once the press is beaten.
Fans looking at Scudetto prices or match handicaps on sports betting online (French: paris sportif en ligne) should be careful not to overreact to a good friendly result, since it rarely reflects what happens against Serie A opposition.
Keeping a fixed entertainment bankroll helps keep those judgments grounded while the market swings on every team sheet and injury report.
The shadow of Manchester
Amorim’s time at Manchester United prevents easy predictions. United finished 15th in 2024-25 and lost the Europa League final, although its league return improved to 31 points from 20 matches in 2025-26 before Amorim departed on January 5.
Across 47 Premier League games, he recorded 15 wins, 13 draws, and 19 defeats; the system became more coherent, but selection problems persisted when the squad lacked natural wingbacks or suitable defenders for the wider positions.
Milan must give him the profiles the formation requires, while Amorim must be willing to adjust when injuries remove them.
A tough calendar
Milan begin their Serie A campaign away at Torino on August 23, followed by a tough early run that takes them to Juventus on Matchday 3 and Lazio on Matchday 4, before the first Derby della Madonnina at home on Matchday 10.
That opening stretch should reveal a lot about whether their pressing can actually win the ball high up the pitch without leaving gaps in behind the wing-backs.
The added Europa League fixtures will also cut into the full-week preparation Allegri often had during 2025-26, meaning rotation around Modrić, Ramos, Pulisic, and Leão won’t just be useful; it’ll be necessary.
Amorim can push Milan back into the Scudetto picture, but only if his ideas stay flexible enough to adapt rather than becoming rigid rules.
