Christian Pulisic’s Milan coach Ruben Amorim receives crucial update on his future amid urgent talks following UEFA Europa League shock

Christian Pulisic’s Milan coach Ruben Amorim has received a crucial update on his future amid urgent talks after Milan’s UEFA Europa League shock defeat to Benfica. The Portuguese manager faces growing scrutiny after a night that exposed several weaknesses in his team, and owner Gerry Cardinale has already discussed what went wrong and where the project goes from here.

Milan suffered a 2-0 defeat to Benfica at San Siro on September 16, the club’s first loss of the 2026-27 season and Amorim’s first competitive defeat since taking charge. The result also extended its difficult run to three matches without a win, following draws against Juventus and Lazio.

The defeat has intensified criticism of Amorim’s team selection, particularly after the coach made several changes to his starting lineup. Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic, Mario Gila and Diego Moreira were all left on the bench, while the Italian side once again struggled badly during the opening 45 minutes.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera described the starting XI as “incomprehensible” and criticized Amorim for excessive rotation. Milan has now gone through five competitive matches without establishing a consistent identity, with the poor first-half performances becoming one of the biggest concerns surrounding the project.

The situation was particularly frustrating because the Rossoneri had already shown signs of improvement after halftime against Juventus and Lazio. Against Benfica, however, those adjustments failed to produce another comeback, while the Portuguese outfit doubled its advantage early in the second half and controlled the match.

Urgent talks already took place

The defeat has also raised questions about the relationship between Amorim and the Milan hierarchy. Cardinale is reportedly disappointed with the team’s performances across the last three matches, with the owner and coach having already discussed the situation and examined the problems that have emerged.

There is also frustration over Amorim’s seemingly contradictory comments about the squad. Only around 10 days earlier, the Portuguese manager rated Milan’s transfer window 10/10, yet before the Benfica match he admitted that the squad was not perfectly suited to his preferred style of play.

Amorim said: “Is the squad poorly suited to my style of play? Partly, yes. I don’t have the perfect characteristics because it’s impossible to arrive at a new club and have everything ready.”

Crucial update on Amorim’s Milan future

Despite the criticism and meeting with Cardinale, the latest reports provide an important clarification about Amorim’s immediate future. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Calciomercato, Amorim is not currently at risk of being dismissed after only five matches of the season.

Matteo Moretto, speaking on Fabrizio Romano’s YouTube channel and relayed by MilanNews, also reported that Cardinale continues to support the Portuguese manager, despite concerns about his decisions and Milan’s recent performances.

Moretto said: “There are several doubts surrounding Amorim. It is striking that he keeps changing the starting XI, and that the team cannot perform as well in the first 45 minutes as it does towards the end of matches.” He added that Amorim’s relationship with some senior players is “not exactly ideal,” but stressed that Cardinale chose and continues to defend the coach.

Moretto further explained that there is “understanding, harmony and a desire to move forward” between Amorim and the ownership, with Milan’s long-term project built around the Portuguese manager. Amorim has a contract through 2029, with an option for 2030, reportedly worth $4.6-5.7 million per year, reinforcing the scale of the commitment Milan has made to him.