AC Milan is about to host Bologna on Serie A Matchday 3 at San Siro in what has been a shaky begin to the 2025-26 season. With strain mounting on the Rossoneri to show issues round, many followers have been stunned when star winger Christian Pulisic was ignored of the beginning lineup.
Milan’s marketing campaign started with a disappointing 2-1 dwelling defeat to newly promoted Cremonese, a end result that raised early considerations. The membership bounced again with a 2-0 win away to Lecce, however consistency stays in query as Allegri continues to seek for the correct steadiness in his lineup.
Christian Pulisic gained’t be taking a part of the beginning lineups towards Bologna not resulting from harm, however quite an absence of preparation. After that includes for the USMNT on Tuesday in the course of the worldwide break, the 26-year-old confronted an extended return journey from Ohio to Europe. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri opted to maintain him on the bench to handle his workload.
As an alternative, Allegri handed alternatives to Santiago Giménez up entrance and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in a extra superior position, with Adrien Rabiot making his debut in midfield. Regardless of beginning among the many substitutes, Pulisic remains to be anticipated to function later within the match.
Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez of AC Milan.
The American has already been influential in Milan’s season, scoring in Coppa Italia towards Bari and once more within the Serie A win over Lecce. He additionally returned to Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT setup, reaffirming his significance forward of the 2026 World Cup on dwelling soil.
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Allegri on Pulisic’s position
Over the previous few seasons, Pulisic has established himself as one in every of Milan’s most essential attacking items, combining likelihood creation with a rising scoring contact. However with Allegri’s arrival this summer time, questions have emerged about his precise position inside the squad.
Throughout Saturday’s press convention forward of the Bologna match, Allegri was requested whether or not Pulisic might be used as a form of “sixth man,” just like basketball: “No matter him, soccer in the present day is performed with 15 gamers. The 5 substitutions are decisive, as a result of ultimately the modifications are extra decisive than the starters. Within the final half hour, matches change. Usually, crucial factors to achieve our targets come from those that play much less.”
