It was imagined to be a peaceful worldwide break for Milan, however as a substitute it was one other irritating chapter within the ongoing club-versus-country saga. The Italian big has been left deeply irritated after Christian Pulisic, the crew’s prime scorer this season, returned from worldwide obligation with the United States Males’s Nationwide Crew injured — and head coach Mauricio Pochettino is on the heart of the storm.
Based on varied Italian retailers, together with La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica, Milan had launched Pulisic to the USMNT in good bodily situation, solely to see him return with a recent hamstring damage. The membership’s frustration stems from the idea that Pochettino unnecessarily risked one in all their most necessary gamers in a meaningless pleasant in opposition to Australia, regardless of realizing he had been combating ankle discomfort for weeks.
Pulisic had missed the Rossoneri’s league fixtures in opposition to Lecce and Bologna earlier this season with the identical ankle problem, and was clearly not working at 100%. Even Pochettino admitted earlier than the worldwide window that the winger “wasn’t at his finest” however stated they had been “hoping to have him out there.” Milan took that as reassurance that he could be managed fastidiously — as a substitute, he began and lasted simply 31 minutes earlier than limping off.
The participant’s damage occurred through the first half of the pleasant in Colorado. The American star, already managing ache in his ankle, was tackled exhausting twice and tried to proceed taking part in. However after one ultimate dash, he dropped to the bottom and requested a substitution. It was later confirmed he had suffered a hamstring problem, which now threatens to sideline him for not less than three to 4 weeks.
La Repubblica reported that “Milan really feel Pulisic was unnecessarily risked by the nationwide crew employees for a recreation that held no aggressive worth.” America is already certified for the 2026 World Cup as hosts, and Milan’s medical employees consider the 27-year-old ought to by no means have began that match. What frustrates the Italian crew much more is the timing: Pulisic had been exhibiting indicators of fatigue and had solely featured for quarter-hour within the earlier pleasant in opposition to Ecuador, which made his beginning position in opposition to Australia even tougher to justify.
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Milan’s file with out Christian Pulisic: Serie A stats increase alarm and spell bother for the Rossoneri
Sidelined at his peak
Earlier than the damage, Christian Pulisic had been in sensational type, main Milan’s Serie A marketing campaign with six objectives and two assists. The American was additionally tied because the league’s prime scorer alongside Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini, cementing his place as Milan’s most decisive participant in entrance of objective.
Shedding him now is a large blow for Massimiliano Allegri’s facet, which is sitting third on the desk, simply two factors behind chief Napoli. The membership’s medical crew confirmed that Pulisic will definitely miss the upcoming match in opposition to Fiorentina, and presumably a number of others, relying on the outcomes of his scans.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring to provide the facet a 3-0 lead through the Coppa Italia.
When will Pulisic’s damage analysis be revealed?
Nevertheless, there’s a further twist: Milan should wait longer than anticipated to obtain the official analysis of Pulisic’s damage. The rationale? The American’s flight from Colorado to Italy was unexpectedly delayed, which means he solely arrived in Italy late Thursday night time. Because of this, his scheduled medical checks at Milanello had been postponed till Friday.
Till these checks are accomplished, the total extent of his hamstring damage stays unclear. What is obvious, nevertheless, is that Milan’s endurance with the USMNT and Pochettino’s dealing with of the participant has worn skinny.
