Abate vs Amorim: New Era Begins in Turin

Sunday night in Turin, under the lights of the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, two new projects walk straight into the fire. Ignazio Abate starts his first Serie A season in charge of Torino by staring across at his old club. On the opposite bench, Rúben Amorim begins life at AC Milan with pressure already humming in the background.

Kick-off is at 7:45pm BST. It won’t feel like an August warm-up. This has the edge of something more.

Torino: Abate’s Bold Start

Torino arrive with energy and a clear sense of direction under Abate. The club legend from Milan now tries to hurt his former side, and he does so with a team that looks ready to run.

The squad is in good shape. Faustino Anjorin and Pietro Pellegri are out, while long-term absentee Duván Zapata remains unavailable, but there is no sense of crisis. Il Toro have enough.

Giovanni Simeone is the reference point. He already decided their season opener, scoring the winner in a 1-0 Coppa Italia victory over Carrarese, and he will again lead the line here. Around him, there is something new, something untested, and that is exactly what makes Torino dangerous.

Ajax loanee Kian Fitz-Jim is in line for his first competitive appearance in midfield, while Swiss centre-back Eray Cömert strengthens the back line. Both are expected to step straight into the starting XI, adding fresh legs and a different rhythm to Abate’s structure.

Torino’s home record adds another layer. They finished last season unbeaten in six league games at the Olimpico (four wins, two draws). That run has built a quiet confidence. Abate’s side know they can turn this stadium into a problem for anyone, especially a Milan team still adjusting to a new manager and a new shape.

The plan is clear: target Milan’s defensive tweaks, press hard, and ride that home momentum.

Milan: Big Names, Big Questions

On the other side, Milan begin the 2026/27 Serie A campaign with excitement and unease in equal measure.

Rúben Amorim arrives with a strong reputation and a defined philosophy, but his first league game comes with key absences. Star winger Rafael Leão misses out with a muscle strain. New forward Santi Giménez is also sidelined after an ankle sprain. Two big attacking pieces, gone before a ball is kicked in Serie A.

Yet Milan still bring firepower. Club-record signing Gonçalo Ramos is fit and set to spearhead the attack. All eyes will be on him. This is the kind of stage and the kind of opponent where a statement debut can shift the mood around an entire season.

At the back, summer arrival Mario Gila is ready for his first competitive outing, expected to slot into Amorim’s three-man defensive line alongside Strahinja Pavlović. It’s a bold shape, and it demands bravery from those at the back.

Out wide, Samuel Chukwueze has been one of the stories of Milan’s pre-season. Used as a dynamic right wing-back, he brings pace, direct running, and the ability to flip defence into attack in a heartbeat. If Milan are to stretch Torino and pin them deep, his lane will matter.

In midfield, Luka Modrić is the calm at the centre of it all. The veteran is tasked with dictating tempo, knitting together Amorim’s vertical, aggressive approach with the control needed away from home in Serie A. Alongside him, Adrien Rabiot adds steel and running, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Alexis Saelemaekers are expected to operate between the lines, supporting Ramos.

Milan’s form tells its own story. They closed pre-season with a wild 4-2 win over Manchester United, a reminder of their attacking potential, but that came straight after a heavy 3-0 defeat to Chelsea. Last season’s run-in was no better: seven defeats in their final 13 league matches. That kind of inconsistency is exactly what Amorim has been hired to erase.

He doesn’t get a gentle introduction.

Form, Momentum and Fine Margins

Torino come into this with something Milan lack: recent, reliable home form. That six-game unbeaten streak at the Olimpico to end last season is no coincidence. Four wins, two draws, and a growing sense that this ground can become a fortress again.

Their narrow Coppa Italia win over Carrarese was not spectacular, but it was efficient. Simeone scored, the defence held, and Abate’s ideas looked coherent in competitive action. For a new coach, that is gold in August.

Milan, by contrast, are still a puzzle. The win over Manchester United showed what their attack can do when it clicks. The defeat to Chelsea showed how quickly it can all unravel. With Leão and Giménez missing, the burden on Ramos grows heavier, and Amorim’s system will be tested immediately by a side that thrives on disrupting rhythm and punishing mistakes.

Predicted Lineups

• Torino (3-4-2-1): Mascardi; Comuzzo, Comert, Coco; Pedersen, Fitz-Jim, Gineitis, Cacciamani; Vlasic, Casadei; Simeone
• AC Milan (3-4-2-1): Maignan; De Winter, Gila, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Loftus-Cheek, Saelemaekers; Ramos

Where to Watch

In the UK, Torino vs AC Milan will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and streamed via DAZN.

Two new managers. One charged atmosphere in Turin. For Abate and Amorim, this isn’t just an opening fixture — it’s the first real clue as to whether their ideas can survive the reality of Serie A.