AC Milan produced a commanding display on Thursday evening, sweeping aside RB Salzburg 4-0 away from home in the second round of the Europa League, with Alphadjo Cisse emerging as the undisputed star of the match.
The number 70 opened the scoring in the 15th minute, finishing off a move created by Hutchinson to give Milan an early advantage. Cisse continued to trouble Salzburg’s defence and doubled his tally in the 32nd minute, calmly converting a left-footed effort following an assist from Davide Bartesaghi.
Milan’s performance comes at a positive time for the club, with reports that Serbian defender Strahinja Pavlović has reached an agreement over a new long-term contract. The proposed deal would keep the centre-back at the club until June 2031, providing a potential boost to Milan’s defensive planning for the coming years.
Milan carried their momentum into the second half, and Cisse completed his hat-trick just four minutes after the restart. The forward showed excellent composure to fire home with his right foot after receiving a pass from Adrien Rabiot, putting the visitors firmly in control at 3-0.
Salzburg struggled to contain Milan’s attacking threat throughout the contest, while the Italian side remained clinical in front of goal. Gonçalo Ramos added further gloss to the scoreline in the 72nd minute, finding the net to make it 4-0 and seal an emphatic away victory.
Cisse’s three-goal performance was the defining moment of the evening, showcasing his finishing ability with both feet and his eye for goal. With contributions from Bartesaghi and Rabiot also proving decisive, Milan demonstrated their attacking quality and ability to punish defensive weaknesses.
The convincing result gives Milan a strong boost in their Europa League campaign, while Salzburg are left to reflect on a difficult night against an opponent that made the most of its opportunities.
RB Salzburg Player Ratings
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| C. Zawieschitzky | 4.5/10 |
| L. Morgalla | 5.6/10 |
| K. Boma | 5.3/10 |
| V. Zabransky | 4.5/10 |
| D. Schmid | 5.0/10 |
| A. Barry | 6.0/10 |
| B. Mazurek | 4.8/10 |
| J. Lindstrøm | 4.7/10 |
| S. Kitano | 5.4/10 |
| E. Baidoo | 4.7/10 |
| H. Tabaković | 5.4/10 |
AC Milan Player Ratings
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| F. Camarda | 6.0/10 |
| A. Cissé | 9.3/10 |
| R. Loftus-Cheek | 7.2/10 |
| D. Bartesaghi | 7.1/10 |
| A. Rabiot | 7.4/10 |
| A. Jashari | 8.7/10 |
| O. Hutchinson | 7.5/10 |
| S. Pavlović | 6.7/10 |
| K. De Winter | 7.9/10 |
| F. Tomori | 7.9/10 |
| M. Maignan | 7.1/10 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | AC Milan | RB Salzburg |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 15 | 14 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 8 |
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
| Passes | 501 | 446 |
| Pass accuracy | 91% | 88% |
| Fouls | 13 | 12 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 1 |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
| Corners | 3 | 2 |