AC Milan and Juventus Grind Out Away Wins as Delayed 2026-27 Serie A Season Kicks Off

The 2026-27 Serie A season is officially underway, shaking off a massive World Cup hangover to deliver opening-weekend drama. With the domestic calendar pushed back by the expanded 48-team summer tournament in North America, Italy's heavyweights wasted no time laying down their markers.[5][6]

AC Milan and Juventus both hit the road on Sunday, navigating tricky away fixtures to secure crucial three-point hauls. For Milan, it was the dawn of the Ruben Amorim era, while Luciano Spalletti's Juventus leaned on a familiar defensive rock to grind out a gritty result.[1][4]

In Turin, Amorim faced a stern test against a Torino side managed by former Milan defender Ignazio Abate. The Rossoneri controlled possession early, utilizing wing-backs Samuel Chukwueze and Pervis Estupiñán to stretch the pitch, but struggled to find the final ball in a scoreless first half.[2]

The game flipped on its head in the 56th minute. Amorim turned to his bench, introducing a wealth of experience in Adrien Rabiot and Luka Modric. The double substitution instantly rewired Milan's midfield dynamics, injecting pace and precision into the final third.[1]

The breakthrough arrived in the 64th minute. Rabiot, making an immediate impact on his debut, delivered a pinpoint assist for Alphadjo Cissè. The young midfielder, earning his first competitive start, fired Milan into the lead and validated Amorim's tactical reshuffle.[1][2]

Just two minutes later, the veterans combined to double the advantage. Modric orchestrated the move from the edge of the area, feeding Chukwueze, who whipped a cross toward the back post. Rabiot met it with a thunderous close-range volley, capping a devastating ten-minute cameo.[1]

Torino refused to fold, finding a lifeline deep into stoppage time. Gvidas Gineitis delivered a free kick that Che Adams met with an acrobatic volley, curling the ball past Mike Maignan. But Milan held on for the 2-1 victory, making Amorim the first foreign coach to win his Serie A debut for the club since Leonardo in 2009.[1][7]

Further south at the Stadio Benito Stirpe, Juventus faced a bruising test against newly promoted Frosinone. Spalletti handed starts to summer arrivals Randal Kolo Muani, Douglas Luiz, and Guglielmo Vicario, signaling a refreshed attacking intent for the Bianconeri.[3][4]

Juventus dominated the opening exchanges, pinning Frosinone deep in their own half. Kolo Muani had a golden opportunity to open his account early but fired over from point-blank range, while Gleison Bremer sent a free header wide from a clever Douglas Luiz corner routine.[3][4]

The Brazilian defender made no mistake on his second attempt. In the 22nd minute, Francisco Conceicao floated a brilliant cross into the six-yard box. Bremer rose above the defense and powered a header past Lorenzo Palmisani, securing a 1-0 lead.[1][3]

Bremer's aerial dominance remains one of Juventus's most lethal weapons; remarkably, 11 of his last 12 Serie A goals have come via his head. His defensive anchor was equally vital as Frosinone pushed for an equalizer in the second half.[8]

The Bianconeri endured a late scare when goalkeeper Vicario was forced off with an injury, replaced by Mattia Perin. Frosinone rattled the woodwork in the closing stages, but Juventus's backline held firm to secure Spalletti's men a vital opening-day clean sheet.[4]

The staggered start to the European calendar—a direct consequence of the grueling 104-match World Cup—means squad depth will be tested earlier than ever. As Milan's bench heroics and Juventus's defensive grit proved, surviving the 2026-27 Serie A gauntlet will require every tool in the arsenal.[6]