Chukwueze Came Off The Bench And Set Up Another One
Turin · Monday 7 September 2026
Samuel Chukwueze came on for AC Milan in the 61st minute at Juventus on Sunday. Seven minutes later he set up Alphadjo Cisse for the opening goal. Juventus equalised in the second minute of stoppage time and it finished 1-1.
It is his second league assist of the season. He also set one up in Milan's opening-day win over Torino.
The pattern is worth naming
Both assists came from the bench. That is not an accident of selection, it is a use. A winger introduced after the hour against tiring full-backs is being deployed as a specific tool, and Chukwueze is currently very good at being that tool.
| Match | Role | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Milan v Torino, opening day | Substitute | Assist |
| Juventus v Milan, matchday 3 | On at 61 mins | Assist at 68 mins |
Two league assists, neither of them from a start.
Why Nigerian fans find this frustrating
Because the same conversation has followed Chukwueze since Villarreal. He produces in short bursts, the numbers per minute look excellent, and then the next manager still prefers somebody else from the first whistle.
A player who creates a goal every time he plays half an hour is either being badly used or being perfectly used, and the honest answer is usually the second one.
Impact substitutes are a real job. Milan are getting output from a player without paying the physical cost of ninety minutes, and Chukwueze is getting a run of positive contributions rather than a run of anonymous starts. That is a functional arrangement even if it is not the one his talent seemed to promise.
The Super Eagles angle
Nigeria name a squad this month for qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, with Victor Osimhen carrying an adductor injury and Paul Onuachu also hurt. A winger in form who creates chances against Juventus and Torino is not a marginal call in that context.
Whether Eric Chelle starts him is a different question, and the answer at club level this season has been no. It has still produced two assists.
Reporting: Football Italia, Football In Nigeria, Sports247 Nigeria and Serie A match data.
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