Alphadjo Cissé, a big surprise for Milan? Not for those who have already coached him
Alphadjo Cissé continues to shine for Milan in this early stage of the Serie A season, having scored in two tough away matches against both Turin teams (Torino on Matchday 1 and Juventus in the big match on Matchday 3). This has come as a big surprise to those who saw him as merely a rotation option for Ruben Amorim, but not to those who had already coached him before his breakout run with the Rossoneri. One of them is Paolo Sammarco, his coach during his time at Verona, who said he was anything but surprised by what’s happening on the field.
“I’m proud of Cissé and thrilled for him; he’s a guy who deserves it,” Sammarco told ‘Radio Sportiva’. “We’d already glimpsed his talent at Verona; the only thing I, the staff, and Director Margiotta did was to help him along. Everything else, however, is down to his own efforts. Because, quite simply, Alpha does things that others don’t.”
“Aquilani knew him, too, and really wanted him at Catanzaro, managing to bring out the talent we’d all seen,” Sammarco added in his analysis of Cissé. Alphadjo has a remarkable ability to see the next move long before anyone else, combining this with great physical strength and superb technique. He was clearly a cut above his teammates; he did amazing things even when he was in the youth teams and would go train with the first team. I’m truly happy that he’s proving all of this at the very highest levels as well, wearing the Milan jersey.”
After all, Cissé’s story is that of a gamble patiently built up over time. Born in Treviso and raised as a soccer player in Castelfranco Veneto with Giorgione, the 2006-born player had already gotten a taste of Serie A with Sammarco’s Verona between 2024 and 2025, though he logged fewer than 20 total minutes across three appearances. His big break then came at Catanzaro, where, under the guidance of Alberto Aquilani, he carved out a leading role in the team’s run toward the Serie B playoffs. Milan had signed him in February 2026, but a serious adductor injury had cut short his run, only for him to be handed over to Amorim in perfect condition over the summer.
The definitive turning point came in the preseason friendly against Manchester United, when Cissé scored the goal that tied the game at 2-2. “He’ll make life difficult for Rafa Leao,” Amorim had commented immediately after the game—a remark that now sounds like a true prophecy. Not surprisingly, Torino — Milan’s first opponent of the season and the team that conceded Cissé’s first goal in a Rossoneri jersey — had also tried in recent weeks to snatch him from the Rossoneri on loan, including him as a possible trade chip in a broader deal involving the young Torino winger Alessio Cacciamani. The Portuguese coach, however, decided to keep him, and the results have already proven him right.
For his part, the young player made no secret of his ambitions when he spoke to fans during an event at the flagship store on Via Dante in Milan. “I could have gone to PSV—it was almost a done deal in January—but when Milan called, I immediately changed my mind. In recent weeks, I could have gone out on loan, but I’m at one of the biggest clubs in the world: I believe this is my big break,” he said. Cissé also responded with great humility to the high-profile comparison with Robinho made by Massimo Ambrosini: “To be honest, I don’t know why people are making this comparison; I admit I haven’t seen him play much, but if Ambrosini says so, I’m honored.” These words paint a picture of a young man with his feet firmly on the ground, despite the breakthrough that has already thrust him into the spotlight of Italian soccer.
