Ruben Amorim found the perfect way to respond to Manchester United, leading his new team AC Milan to a 4-2 victory over the Red Devils in a friendly match played on Saturday evening in the Polish city of Wroclaw.
The encounter held special significance for the Portuguese manager, who returned to face the club that sacked him seven months ago, in the Rossoneri’s final test before the start of the new Serie A season.
The start of the match was not promising for Amorim, as Harry Maguire gave United the lead after less than a minute, before Samuel Chukwueze equalized, and goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani saved a penalty taken by Bruno Fernandes.
United regained the lead through Patrick Dorgu, but Milan rallied and scored three consecutive goals through Valentin Cisse, Goncalo Ramos, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, allowing Amorim to seal the clash with his past with a thrilling four-goal performance.
This is not strictly Amorim’s first victory with Milan, having started his preparations with a 7-0 win over the Milan Futuro team in an internal match, but it represents his first victory against a senior team from outside the club.
Milan had previously drawn 2-2 with Celtic, then 1-1 against Inter, before suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Chelsea. Therefore, the four goals against United gave the Portuguese manager his first strong signal ahead of official matches.
In Italy, Amorim is trying to repair a reputation severely damaged during his disastrous spell at Old Trafford. He remained at the helm of United for only 14 months, managing 63 matches and achieving just 24 victories across all competitions.
The Portuguese ended his tenure as Manchester United’s worst permanent manager in the Premier League era in terms of win percentage in the competition, which stood at 31.9%. He also averaged 1.23 points per game, the lowest figure for any manager who led the team in the Premier League.
Under his leadership, United finished 15th in the 2024-2025 season, their worst ranking since their relegation in 1974. They also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham, and then exited the League Cup the following season against fourth-tier Grimsby Town, before his dismissal in January 2026.
Amorim’s real test will begin on August 23, when Milan visits Torino in the opening round of Serie A. It will then become clear whether the four goals against United were just a fun friendly revenge, or the first sign of the birth of a different project at San Siro.
