Ruben Amorim's first competitive match in charge of AC Milan ended in victory, but it was a teenage debutant, not one of the club's marquee summer signings, who left the biggest impression as the Rossoneri beat Torino 2-1 away from home on Sunday.
Before the match, Amorim had already drawn attention for his effusive praise of 19-year-old Alphadjo Cissè, an attacking midfielder who joined Milan from Verona in February but only linked up with the squad this summer after finishing a loan spell at Catanzaro. There, he scored six goals in 22 Serie B appearances despite missing half the season with a thigh injury. Prior to that, his senior experience amounted to just 14 minutes across three substitute appearances for Verona in Serie A.
Despite that limited pedigree, Amorim handed Cissè a starting role in a 3-4-2-1 formation at Turin's Olympic Stadium, deploying him just left of new arrival Gonçalo Ramos. The teenager wasted no time announcing himself, forcing a save within 75 seconds of kickoff after latching onto a Ruben Loftus-Cheek cross.
Milan dominated proceedings from the outset, controlling more than 70% of possession in the first half and firing 11 shots to Torino's one. Yet clear chances were scarce, with only a driving run and shot from Samuel Chukwueze testing home goalkeeper Diego Mascardi. Cissè also believed he had won a penalty when a cross struck Nikola Vlasic's arm, but referee Luca Zufferli waved play on without VAR intervention — a decision that may reflect new refereeing chief Daniele Orsato's push to limit video review to only the most obvious errors.
The breakthrough arrived in the 64th minute. Yunus Musah drove forward from midfield into space vacated by Torino's press, releasing substitute Adrien Rabiot down the right. Rabiot's cross found Cissè, who cushioned the ball on his waist before curling a first-time half-volley into the far corner — a moment he celebrated by sliding to his knees in front of the traveling Milan supporters.
Milan doubled their advantage soon after when Rabiot converted a delivery from Chukwueze. Torino responded with late pressure and pulled a goal back through a spectacular effort from Ché Adams, who struck an audacious volley over his own shoulder in stoppage time. It proved merely a consolation, as Milan held on for the win.
Speaking afterward, Cissè reflected on Amorim's pre-match comments, admitting he had missed the press conference himself. "It makes me happy," he said. "But I didn't hear the press conference. All my friends told me about it instead." He also described the achievement of starting and scoring on his league debut as "beyond a dream," noting he had spent his early weeks with the club closely observing training sessions to understand what his new coach wanted from him.
According to available records, Cissè became the youngest Italian to score for Milan since Patrick Cutrone in 2017, and the first Italian to net on a debut Serie A start for the club since Daniel Maldini in 2021 — though both of those precedents serve as a reminder that early promise doesn't always translate into lasting stardom at the top level.
Amorim, speaking largely in English afterward, acknowledged his side still has plenty of work to do, particularly in breaking down organized defenses and maintaining intensity late in matches. "We have a lot to improve," he said. "We talk about ways of playing, but there is one goal in calcio. Vincere" — to win.
The result was part of a broader opening weekend that saw several young Italian players handed rare opportunities in Serie A, including Torino's own teenage duo of goalkeeper Diego Mascardi and wing-back Alessio Cacciamani, following growing scrutiny over the lack of pathways for homegrown talent in Italian football.
Milan's summer rebuild also featured big-money arrivals Gonçalo Ramos, Diego Moreira and Mario Gila, following a disappointing fifth-place finish last season under Massimiliano Allegri. Amorim has stated his ambition to challenge for the Scudetto, while conceding it may take time to close the gap on champions Inter, who opened their campaign with a 4-1 win over Monza.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.