The 2026-2027 Serie A season just kicked off, and if you blinked, you might’ve missed the arrival of AC Milan’s next big thing. 19-year-old Italian winger Aphadjo Cisse made a massive splash this past weekend, scoring the opening goal in their 2-1 victory over Torino. That’s how you make an entrance in Italy’s top flight, right?
Cisse’s Immediate Impact Shakes Up AC Milan’s Attack
Cisse was hands down the biggest surprise of AC Milan’s opening match against Torino at the Stadio Grande Torino. His coach, Ruben Amorim, clearly knew what he had. Amorim “highly values” Cisse, wanted him to stay put, and even pushed back against the chance for Cisse to leave on loan. Remember, the kid played for Catanzaro last season and almost snagged them a Serie A promotion. Amorim wasn’t just confident, he was vocal, saying he was “in love with him” and deciding to start the teenager against Torino. Cisse delivered instantly, bagging the opening goal for the Rossoneri and his first ever Serie A goal. He proved he’s absolutely at the level Amorim expects.
That faith continues to pay off. Cisse’s expected to start again this Friday when AC Milan hosts Venezia. This is huge, especially since Christian Pulisic is still recovering from his 2026 World Cup injury and only just started training last week. Cisse fills that attacking left winger spot, a position normally held by Rafael Leao, who’s now reportedly off to Galatasaray in the final days of the summer transfer window after asking to leave before the World Cup. While new signing Diego Moreira finds his footing, Amorim can lean on Cisse, who’s already shown he’s a valuable option up front.
Roma’s Attacking Duo Starts Hot and The League Noticed
But Cisse isn’t the only story buzzing in Serie A right now. Gian Piero Gasperini’s AS Roma absolutely dominated Fiorentina in their season opener, clinching a massive 4-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico. Forget just the goals, it was the “entertaining way of playing” that had Italian soccer sitting up and taking notice. Gasperini’s second season is already looking like a hit.
And talk about an attacking duo! Paulo Dybala, who thankfully signed a new deal and stayed with the club this summer, linked up with Donny Malen to light up the pitch. Dybala dished out three assists, while Malen went wild with his first hat-trick of the season. If those two keep this kind of performance going, Roma fans have every single reason to be hopeful for the season ahead.
AC Milan heads into Matchday 2 with Cisse looking to build on his explosive debut against Venezia, while AS Roma faces off against their former coach Eusebio Di Francesco and Lecce. Can Cisse keep his incredible run going, and will Dybala and Malen continue to tear apart defenses? These next matches will tell us a lot about what both teams can really achieve this season!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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