AC Milan head into their Europa League debut under Ruben Amorim with momentum building, but also with questions still unanswered about the manager's preferred starting lineup. The 2-2 draw at Lazio on September 12 captured both the promise and the inconsistency of this early-season Milan. Trailing 2-0 at half-time after a flat first-half display, Amorim sent on Diego Moreira, Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah at the break, and the Belgian winger responded with two goals in three second-half minutes to rescue a point. It was a remarkable turnaround, but the fact that it was needed at all underlined how far Amorim is from settling on a reliable first-choice side.

Modric, now 41, was one of three players hauled off at the interval after losing 13 balls in the first half alone, and his long-term role in the squad looks increasingly uncertain. Pulisic, by contrast, made his first appearance of the season as a substitute and looked sharp, raising the prospect of a recall to the starting lineup. Moreira's impact has accelerated that conversation further, with the 65-million-euro signing now pushing hard for a regular starting berth after his breakthrough performance.

For Wednesday's home tie against Benfica at San Siro, Amorim has indicated that Omari Hutchinson, the late summer signing who impressed on debut against Lazio, is ready to start. Milan sit sixth in Serie A on eight points from four games, and a strong European campaign could define the tone of their season.