CISSÈ IS THE MVP FROM TORINO v AC MILAN
Awards
It could hardly have been a better night for Alphadjo Cissè. Handed a starting berth on his competitive debut, the young Italian midfielder marked the occasion with his first goal for the Rossoneri, breaking the deadlock for Rúben Amorim's side on the opening matchday of the 2026/27 Serie A season. It was a crucial contribution from the 2006-born midfielder, whose performance in Torino v AC Milan earned him the first MVP award of the season, as voted for by the Rossoneri fans.
After an impressive pre-season and praise from the Portuguese coach in his press conference, Cissè could hardly have responded any better. A focal point of AC Milan's play down the left in the first half, Alphadjo stood out for his willingness to get forward before opening the scoring in the 64th minute, firing a fine right-footed effort on the bounce past the goalkeeper from Adrien Rabiot's assist.
In Turin, Cissè became the youngest Italian player to score for AC Milan in Serie A in almost nine years, since Patrick Cutrone in August 2017. He also became the first Italian since the 2021/22 season to score on his first Serie A start for the Rossoneri, following Daniel Maldini in Spezia v AC Milan. Two notable milestones that underline the impact Alphadjo made in a game in which he was a constant threat to the Torino defence.
Indeed, no Rossonero was fouled more often at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino than Cissè (4), who also completed 21 passes, made four recoveries and won two tackles. Cissè finished ahead of fellow goalscorer Adrien Rabiot and Mario Gila, who impressed at the heart of the defence, in the fans' MVP vote. Well done, Alfa!
