Milan suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat away to Bournemouth in England, leaving behind a night full of doubts and being completely dominated. After three weeks, the team sits in 24th place, the last position that qualifies for the play-off round. Pessimism prevails among fans, while the main question is whether Milan will manage to qualify and how many points they need to advance further. This situation calls for an in-depth analysis of the calendar and possible scenarios to regain their form.
Milan’s calendar shows two difficult defeats against teams of the same level, Benfica and Bournemouth, without scoring a goal and conceding five. However, when they were the favorites, as in the match against Salzburg, they dominated and won 4-0. This suggests that some of the upcoming challenges could be good opportunities to collect qualifying points. Upcoming fixtures include Frankfurt at home (currently with full points), Olympiacos away (three wins from three), and Sunderland at home (unbeaten). The last two matches, against Levski Sofia and Ararat-Armenia, appear easier on paper.
To understand how many points are needed, we can look at precedents from the last two Europa League seasons. In the 2024-25 season, 14 points were needed to qualify directly for the round of 16, while 10 points were enough for the play-off (24th place). Last season, Roma qualified as 8th with 16 points, while Brann secured 24th place with just 9 points. Milan currently sits in this position, but there is still time to regain their form. To secure the play-off, Milan needs at least two more wins. To avoid last-minute tension, they would need at least two draws, reaching 11 or 12 points. This requires a quick change of course, making use of the remaining time.
Taken from La Gazzetta dello Sport