Europa League: hat-trick Cisse relaunches Milan, poker in Salzburg

Treat yourself to a hat-trick in the Europa League seven days before your birthday. Alphadjo Cisse decides to celebrate the looming 20 years in this way, in advance.

It's banal to blow out the candles and unwrap a console game, his passion never hidden. More exciting, however, was scoring his first goals in the cup and allowing Milan to win in Salzburg and move up the table in the Europa League. A dream night, a little red circle to be noticed by the world: dedicated chants from the segment of fans arriving from Italy, standing ovation at the time of the substitution, becoming the youngest Italian footballer ever to score three goals in a single match in the major European competitions (at 19 years and 358 days). In doing so, he also takes Filippo Inzaghi's place as the last Italian to score a hat-trick in a European match with the AC Milan shirt (Champions League 2004, against Deportivo La Coruna). Five goals this season, all away, the team's top scorer: not bad for a boy who played for Catanzaro in Serie B less than a year ago.

The 4-0 against Salzburg mitigates the shame of the debut defeat against Benfica and relaunches the Rossoneri after the criticism for Sunday's draw against Sassuolo. "It was important to win - admits the Under21 striker, on the cusp of being called up to Mancini's Italy - and we are all very happy. My teammates welcomed me very well and it's much simpler this way. What Amorim says is a boost for me". "I'm happy to have assisted him - Bartesaghi expressed his satisfaction -, Alpha is an extraordinary boy and also a great footballer. I'm sure he will give a great hand to Milan".

Nineteen years old and not feeling them: the lightness and carefreeness of talent. Another player who was destined to go abroad (he had visits already scheduled for January with PSV), stopped only by a last-minute blitz from Milan.

Lots of good news for Amorim, in addition to the resounding result: after a month and a half Gonçalo Ramos returns to scoring, author of the definitive poker; the reinstated Tomori had a solid hour on the pitch, capable of a couple of quick recoveries and ready to take on the hierarchical role of long-term patient Gabbia; Hutchinson - in the new role of full-back right winger - and Bartesaghi are two thorns in the side of Morgalla and Schmid and generate a lot of opportunities; in the middle of the pitch Rabiot is a guarantee, despite the criticism filtered by the owner. However, there are a couple of discordant notes: Camarda's lackluster performance, his first as a starter; and the expulsion of Terracciano who, with the game already on ice, pushes Schmid into the net. Milan thus interrupts the streak of positive results (15) of Salzburg, a project always dear to the Rossoneri so much so that they have twice courted the deus ex machina Rangnick as coach, and reaches him in the standings at 3. "This is the model match that we have to play", says Pavlovic, framed in affectionate attitudes with his former fans at the moment of leaving the pitch. Milan, for him and for Amorim, must start from here.