Adrien Rabiot made a stunning impact after coming off the bench, setting up Alphadjo Cisse for his first Serie A goal and then scoring Milan’s second himself, as the Rossoneri secured a 2-1 away win over Torino.
Milan had experienced an uneven pre-season under new coach Ruben Amorim. Rafael Leao was unavailable through injury, while Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot joined up later following the World Cup campaign. However, Mike Maignan returned to the starting XI, along with new arrivals Goncalo Ramos and Mario Gila.
Torino coach Ignazio Abate, who has long-standing links with Milan, was taking charge of his Serie A debut after edging past Carrarese 1-0 in the Coppa Italia last week. The pitch had required emergency repair work after that game and remained patchy. Eray Comert was suspended, while Duvan Zapata, Tino Anjorin, Pietro Pellegri and Franco Israel were injured. New signings Pietro Comuzzo and Kian Fitz-Jim were sent straight into the line-up.
Ruben Amorim, Head Coach of AC Milan, watched on before the Serie A match between Torino FC and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on August 23, 2026 in Turin, Italy.
Alphadjo Cisse nearly opened the scoring within 75 seconds, but at the back post he could only turn Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s ball across goal into the side-netting.
Samuel Chukwueze then produced a weaving run from the right that forced Diego Mascardi into a save, before delivering a floated cross to the back post that again saw Cisse hit the side-netting.
Saul Coco flicked on a free-kick towards the back post, just beyond Giovanni Simeone, so Amorim introduced Modric and pushed Rabiot into a more advanced position, replacing Loftus-Cheek.
Milan had loud appeals for a penalty around the hour mark when Cisse’s cross struck the outstretched arm of Nikola Vlasic, but VAR reviewed the moment and agreed with the referee that the arm had not moved towards the ball. This season, referees are trying to consider movement and context more carefully, rather than judging only the position of the arm.
Alphadjo Cisse of AC Milan scored his side’s first goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on August 23, 2026 in Turin, Italy.
The Rossoneri eventually made the breakthrough when Rabiot, operating further forward than usual, floated in a cross for Cisse, who brought it down on his chest and curled a bouncing finish into the far bottom corner with the inside of his right foot. It was the first Serie A goal for the 19-year-old talent.
Just moments later, Rabiot underlined his extraordinary contribution by adding another goal himself, arriving at the back post to guide in a cushioned volley from the Chukwueze cross.
Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan celebrated after scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on August 23, 2026 in Turin, Italy.
Torino responded when Alieu Njie cut inside beyond Gila and hammered an effort against the upright from a difficult angle. Soon after, Pietro Comuzzo volleyed wide from 12 yards following an excellent Fitz-Jim pass floated over the top that beat the offside trap.
The Granata squandered a huge late chance when Njie sent a cross to the back post, only for Aboukhlal to somehow volley wide from close range.
Torino did pull one back in stoppage time through a sensational acrobatic finish from Che Adams, who hooked a free-kick back over his head on the volley and looped it beyond Maignan’s fingertips into the far top corner.
Cisse 64 (M), Rabiot 66 (M), Adams 93 (T)
