Cissé turns twenty as Milan starter: England test awaits
The Rossoneri forward is the centre of attention in Europe after his hat-trick against Salzburg. Meanwhile Mancini is monitoring him for the senior team.
Alphadjo Cissé celebrates his twentieth birthday on the day of Bournemouth-Milan, a match that sees him start after spending ninety minutes on the bench in the previous game against Atalanta. Ruben Amorim's choice reflects a precise technical assessment: the young forward possesses the athletic and technical qualities needed to withstand the intensity of European competition and create problems for the opposing defence.
The statistics of the class of 2006 player tell a story of rapid growth. With five goals to his name, Cissé is Milan's leading scorer: two in the league (against Torino and Juventus) and three in the recent European clash against Salzburg, a performance from which he has no intention of letting himself be limited. The absence of Gonçalo Ramos and possible rotation of Christian Pulisic amplify the role of the twenty-year-old, whom Amorim is also considering as a central striker in his system.
The English trip represents a crucial passage for Milan in terms of direct qualification to the next phase of the Europa League. But for Cissé the moment takes on further significance: his performances are not escaping the attention of the national team. The striker has already left his mark with the Under-21s, deciding the match against Armenia in the qualifiers for the Euros. Now his profile is on the radar of Luciano Mancini ahead of the upcoming Nations League matches against France and Belgium, scheduled for 12 and 15 November respectively.