AC Milan ended a six-match goalless drought against Juventus, but the victory masks a deeper tactical problem that threatens the Rossoneri's Serie A ambitions. After 659 minutes without a goal, Alphadjo Cisse broke through at the Allianz Stadium, yet the real concern for manager Ruben Amorim centres on finding a consistent attacking midfield partnership capable of sustaining the team's title push.
Cisse, at just 19 years old, has emerged as Milan's most reliable playmaker—a remarkable trajectory for a teenager who clubs considered loaning out weeks before Amorim's arrival. The young talent became the youngest player to score in his first two away matches for Milan since the three-point system was introduced in 1994-95, underlining his precocious talent. Yet one exceptional teenager cannot carry the creative load alone. Against Juventus, when Amorim paired Saelemaekers and Rabiot in attacking midfield roles, both struggled: the Belgian was virtually anonymous, while Rabiot looked physically and tactically lost in an unfamiliar position.
The Pulisic Question
The elephant in the room remains Christian Pulisic. The American has yet to appear in the league under Amorim despite full availability, raising questions about his fitness or tactical fit. Pulisic remains Milan's only midfielder with genuine goal-scoring threat and playmaking consistency. If fully recovered, he would slot alongside Cisse as the club's primary attacking midfield pairing—a combination that could finally give Milan's Serie A campaign the creative edge it desperately needs.
Amorim's trials have revealed uncomfortable truths: Loftus-Cheek delivers inconsistent performances, Saelemaekers thrives as a wing-back rather than a central playmaker, and Rabiot functions better as a holding midfielder. The manager has also tested Hutchinson, an ideological fit for Amorim's system, though the player needs time to adjust. The draw in Turin exposed Milan's vulnerability in the final third, confirming that establishing a stable attacking midfield partnership is no longer optional—it is essential for competing at the highest level this season.
