AC Milan did not need long to settle their Europa League night in Austria. By half-time they led Red Bull Salzburg 2-0, and by the hour a hat-trick from Cisse had made it a procession. The final score was 4-0, and it flattered the home side if anything.
Cisse takes the match ball
Milan scored first in the 15th minute, with Cisse finishing after a pass from Hutchinson. The second arrived in the 32nd minute, again from Cisse, this time set up by Bartesaghi. Salzburg were 2-0 down at the break and had little to show for it other than possession.
The third goal came four minutes into the second half. Rabiot provided the assist in the 49th minute and Cisse completed his hat-trick. It was a clean afternoon's work for a forward who had every shot fall into place, and it effectively finished the contest before the hour.
Ramos adds a fourth, Salzburg lose a man
Goncalo Ramos made it 4-0 in the 72nd minute. Salzburg then had more bad news when Terracciano was sent off in the 83rd minute, which left them with ten for the closing stages. Even so, Gaoussou Diakite managed a left-footed shot from outside the box that Mike Maignan saved in the 88th minute, set up by Bartosz Mazurek.
Maignan was not tested often. The numbers tell the story of a lopsided finish: Salzburg had slightly more of the ball, 52 per cent to 48, and took 14 shots to Milan's 15. The difference was accuracy. Milan put 10 of their 15 on target and Salzburg only two of their 14.
What the result means
A 4-0 away win is the sort of result that changes the mood around a club in a league-phase table. Milan now have a heavy goal difference to protect and a hat-trick hero in Cisse. Salzburg, on the other hand, sent a defender off and failed to find the target with most of their efforts, and their home supporters will have a lot of questions about how little pressure the side put on Maignan. For Milan, this is exactly the kind of night that builds belief going into the rest of the campaign.
Match facts: Red Bull Salzburg 0-4 AC Milan, UEFA Europa League, league phase, Red Bull Arena, Thursday 15 October 2026. Goals: Cisse 15', 32', 49'; Goncalo Ramos 72'. Half-time: 0-2. Red card: Terracciano (Salzburg) 83'. Assists: Hutchinson, Bartesaghi, Rabiot.
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