Christian Pulisic’s impressive season for AC Milan has hit another setback, with manager Massimiliano Allegri revealing the American is expected to miss this weekend’s Serie A matchup against Lazio. The winger, who scored the decisive goal in Milan’s derby win over Inter, withdrew from training on Wednesday due to muscular discomfort, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming fixture.
Getty Images SportPulisic is unlikely to play
At his prematch news conference, Allegri said Pulisic “is unlikely to play,” while noting that there were still two days for the situation to change. He added that the rest of the squad is in good condition. Pulisic missed training on Wednesday after reporting muscular discomfort, prompting Allegri to be cautious given the American’s recent recovery from a hamstring issue.
“Pulisic is unlikely to play, although there are still two days until the match and anything can happen,” Allegri said according to ESPN.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRecent injury history
The timing is particularly frustrating for Milan, as Pulisic had only recently returned to full fitness after a hamstring injury suffered during U.S. national team duty in October. He made a substitute appearance in Milan’s 2-2 draw with Parma on Nov. 8 before starting and scoring the winner in the derby against Inter on Nov. 23. With seven goals and two assists in just 10 appearances across all competitions this season, Pulisic has been instrumental to Milan’s strong start despite missing four games earlier in the campaign.
Impact on Milan's tactical approach
The timing of the setback underscores Pulisic’s rise as Milan’s attacking catalyst since his €20 million ($22 million) move from Chelsea. His versatility under Allegri this season has made him a central piece of the system, with no player in Serie A producing more goal contributions than Pulisic since his arrival in 2023 (48, tied with Inter’s Lautaro Martínez).
Losing Pulisic against a well-organized Lazio side would be a significant blow to Milan’s attacking options and could force tactical adjustments, especially with the Serie A title race tightening at this stage of the campaign.
Getty ImagesWhat's next for Milan?
Milan currently sit second in the Serie A table with 25 points, level with Napoli and just two points behind leaders Roma, making the Lazio fixture crucial to their title aspirations.