Ambrosini praises ‘really strong’ Cisse after Milan debut: “Made me think of Robinho”

Massimo Ambrosini has compared Alphadjo Cisse to Robinho, based on the way that he took his goal against Torino.

It was a fairytale Serie A debut with Milan for Cisse, who was rewarded for a positive preseason by being given a start as the left attacking midfielder in Sunday’s season opener. He repaid this faith by scoring the opening goal, a lovely right-footed shot that curled inside the far post.

In an interview given while at a meet and greet on Wednesday night, the teenager admitted that things could have been very different as he was close to joining PSV Eindhoven in January. When Milan swooped, though, he had no hesitation.

Massimo Ambrosini had his say on Cisse during a segment on Elastici, a program broadcast on the Cronache di Spogliatoio YouTube channel. He made a comparison with a player that was crucial in the 2010-11 Scudetto win.

“Watching Cisse’s goal made me think of Robinho. I’m someone who also pays a lot of attention to posture. I’m obsessed with footwork, while he plays with his feet slightly open, even with the way he touches the ball and runs,” he said (via MilanPress).

“Robinho was technically very strong. From the way he moves, from how he touches the ball… Cisse was playing for Catanzaro last year. The coach was my friend Alberto Aquilani, who told me he was really strong. Robinho had incredible aerobic capacity and had little to envy those above him.”