Cardinale impressed by just two Milan players vs. Sassuolo, not Rabiot
Quick summary
AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale was reportedly impressed by only two Milan players in the match against Sassuolo, with Adrien Rabiot notably absent from his list of standouts.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAccording to La Gazzetta dello Sport, only Christian Pulisic and Diego Moreira impressed Gerry Cardinale during Milan’s 1-1 draw with Sassuolo, but the club owner was disappointed by the rest of the team, including Adrien Rabiot.
Cardinale was in the stands at Mapei Stadium for Milan’s 1-1 draw against Sassuolo on Sunday, and Italian media reported his unhappiness the day after.
REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – OCTOBER 11: Gerry Cardinale of AC Milan talks with Ruben Amorim Head Coach of AC Milan prior to the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and AC Milan at Mapei Stadium – Citta’ del Tricolore on October 11, 2026 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) Today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport goes deeper, naming the players who left Cardinale unsatisfied.
The Milan owner was reportedly disappointed with the team’s overall performance, and Adrien Rabiot also failed to meet his expectations, despite scoring the Rossoneri’s only goal.
Cardinale reportedly believes the Frenchman lost possession too often and was generally concerned by the team’s disjointed performance.
REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – OCTOBER 11: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan gestures during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and AC Milan at Mapei Stadium – Citta’ del Tricolore on October 11, 2026 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) This includes Gonçalo Ramos as well. The Portuguese striker was Milan’s most expensive summer acquisition, but has scored only one goal so far.
Gazzetta notes that the ex-PSG striker generally finds himself chasing the ball in areas ill-suited to the team’s only centre-forward, and Sassuolo was no exception. As a result, he appears disconnected from the play.
Cardinale, on the other hand, was satisfied with Pulisic and Moreira’s performances, who, at least, tried to hurt Sassuolo, even if only through individual initiatives.
Last but not least, Milan have failed to cause problems for opponents from set pieces and have already conceded three goals from dead-ball situations, including one against Sassuolo.
REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – OCTOBER 11: Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan competes for the ball with Armand Lauriente of US Sassuolo during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and AC Milan at Mapei Stadium – Citta’ del Tricolore on October 11, 2026 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) According to the report, Cardinale isn’t only happy with his players, but with referee Francesco Fourneau as well.
Cardinale believes Milan deserved a penalty kick for a foul on Koni De Winer, while Armand Laurienté could have been sent off for a foul on Mario Gila at the edge of Milan’s box.
Milan have won only one of their last five games and will face RB Salzburg away on Thursday in the Europa League Round 2.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Following AC Milan's Serie A fixture against Sassuolo, owner Gerry Cardinale is reported to have been impressed by the performances of just two Milan players. Notably, French midfielder Adrien Rabiot was not among the players who caught the owner's eye, raising questions about his standing within the squad. The report highlights a gap between expectations and on-field output for the recently signed French international. With the club's hierarchy closely monitoring individual displays, the report could have implications for selection and confidence going forward.
Chance analysis
When a club owner singles out only two players for praise after a league match, it sends a signal about the overall state of the squad. Cardinale's reported focus on a narrow group of performers — and his apparent indifference to Rabiot's display — underlines the scrutiny the Frenchman is under in his early Milan spell. For a player of Rabiot's profile and transfer cost, failing to register on the owner's radar is a quiet but meaningful vote of no confidence that could shape minutes and role in the coming weeks.
Rabiot's standing within the Milan squad appears to have taken a hit after being overlooked by the owner following the Sassuolo match, potentially affecting his playing time and role.