On Wednesday night at San Siro, Dodi Lukebakio did what many in Milan once imagined he might do in red and black. He bent a left-footed shot towards the far post and watched it kiss the net. The problem for AC Milan: he was doing it against them.
That finish, so familiar to those who have followed his career, carried a small slice of alternate history. There was a time when Lukebakio was more than just an opponent; he was a serious name on Milan’s list.
The Summer Milan Looked the Other Way
Roll back to August 2025. Milan were deep in negotiations, juggling multiple dossiers, with Adrien Rabiot’s name circling in talks with Marseille. In those same days, another file sat on the table: Dodi Lukebakio.
The old management, led by Igli Tare, had made an enquiry. The club had just seen the Conrad Harder move collapse and were bracing for the departure of Samuel Chukwueze, who was on his way to Fulham. A right-sided attacker was needed, someone who could bring goals and unpredictability. Lukebakio, fresh from an 11-goal season in Spain with Sevilla, fit the profile.
Quick. Versatile. Left-footed. A winger who could unbalance a defence in a stride. On paper, it made sense. On the pitch, two nights ago, Davide Bartesaghi discovered exactly why. Perhaps a little too vividly.
In the end, Milan chose another route. The enquiry never became a bid, the opportunity drifted, and the story closed without a signature.
Benfica’s Bet
Lukebakio did not wait around. He left Spain and, in early September, signed for Benfica for around €25m. A five-year contract, a €50m release clause, and a clear statement: this was not a short-term gamble, but a long-term pillar for the Portuguese club.
While Milan restructured their attack in other ways, Benfica handed the Belgian winger the stage and the security to grow. The goal at San Siro felt like a vindication of that decision. One clean movement, one trademark finish, and a reminder of what Milan could have had.
A Traveller With a Trusted Weapon
At 28, Lukebakio has already lived several footballing lives. Belgium, England, Germany, Spain, now Portugal. Different leagues, different systems, same weapon: that left foot.
He is a natural left-footer who loves to start wide, then slice inside, hunting the angle for a cross or that curling shot towards the far post. It was exactly that pattern that undid Milan on Wednesday. Everyone in the stadium knew what was coming; stopping it was another matter.
His journey has not been about cameos, either. For the Belgian national team, he has collected 33 caps and scored six goals. At club level, he has already reached double figures in a single season with Hertha Berlin, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Sevilla. Wherever he settles, the goals tend to follow.
Now the same question hangs over his time in Lisbon. With Benfica, can he hit double figures again? After nights like the one at San Siro, you sense defenders across Portugal already know the answer.
