Cisse sheds light on Mancini’s call, impressions of Italy camp and Milan Scudetto desire
Oliver Fisher
Alphadjo Cisse did his first press conference as a member of the senior Italian national team, responding to questions on a number of topics.
Cisse has been called up for the first time by Roberto Mancini, having made a sensational start to the season in his first year in Serie A, which came after recovering from a serious muscle injury that kept him out for the entire second half of last season.
The 20-year-old has already scored eight goals across all competitions, with five coming in the league. The most recent of these was against Genoa on Sunday, and now there is talk of a renewal offer from Milan in order to reward his development but also fend off interest from the Premier League.
Cisse spoke at a press conference from the Azzurri headquarters at Coverciano, alongside former Milan man Mattia Liberali, with whom he played in Catanzaro. His comments were relayed by TMW.
What are your feelings after the last few months?
“I always want to demonstrate my qualities. I’ve had some very intense months and I hope to have many more like them.”
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Liberali?
“His play, his shooting. His final pass is one of his best qualities. As for his flaws, I’d say he’s a bit touchy.”
Did you expect to be the top scorer among Italian players?
“Last year’s injury was a difficult time, but I handled it well. I was very confident about coming to Milanello to showcase my skills, and that helped me a lot. Choosing Catanzaro in 2025 was a very easy decision. Polito and Aquilani wanted me, and it was the right choice. I needed playing time.”
What is your role?
“I can play anywhere in attack. As for the specific role, I don’t know if it’s better to say. I like playing in all positions.”
What impression did entering Coverciano give you?
“It’s great to be here, a great responsibility. We’ll have the opportunity to get to know each other in the coming days.”
And Milan?
“My teammates welcomed me very well, but there’s certainly a big difference between Serie B and Serie A. I owe Aquilani a lot, he’s given me a lot and given me a lot of confidence. I’m sorry for him [after he was sacked by Sassuolo], but he’ll definitely have a great coaching career.”
You’re more about talent than physicality, is anything changing?
“Quality is always important. Now in Italy, many young players are emerging, and we’re trying to give them more confidence.”
Do you dream of winning the Scudetto?
“For Milan, winning is the priority, the Scudetto like any other competition. Winning is the norm and you can’t neglect any competition. At Milan you have to win everything.”
Is there a coach you owe more to?
“Every coach has left me with something. Aquilani had a huge impact last year. Mancini? He welcomed me and encouraged me to train well. Baldini helped me a lot, even though I only worked with him for two weeks. He left me with a lot.”
Who impressed you most at Milan?
“Modric would be too obvious… I say Gila.”
Are you aiming to start at San Siro against France?
“The coach will decide. I’m a guy with a lot of ambition, and being here with the national team is a source of pride.”
What kind of game do you expect against France?
“They need no introduction, but Italy always aims to win. Qualifying for Italy should be the norm.”
Who do you look up to?
“Without a doubt, Balotelli, he’s always been a point of reference for me in the national team.”
Do you feel ready to be a point of reference here right away?
“I like pressure, and I think I’ve got the strength to handle it. There are some important players here, some of them have won the European Championship, and you have to show respect. You have to take things one step at a time. The first thing to focus on is making your debut, and then we’ll see.”
