AC Milan had quite a rough outing in the last season. After all, placing behind their archrivals Inter with a massive gap of 19 points is perhaps a worse fate than their eighth-place finish. Thankfully, this year, the team can take heart from the fact that they’re performing better than their rivals; after the initial 6 games, AC Milan are third and leading Inter in the table, albeit by a solitary point.

Now then, with the November 23 derby against Inter coming up, the team will be looking to expand their stronghold over their arch rivals. But en route, AC Milan has stumbled upon a little roadblock. Key player Christian Pulisic will not be able to suit up till late November, after the hamstring injury he sustained while playing for the USMNT.

But before Milan, it’s the USMNT who will sorely miss his presence. Reflecting on Pulisic’s injury, coach Mauricio Pochettino sounded quite agitated. He pointed out how the different climate conditions affect the physical conditioning of an athlete. “I think when you are during 10 days in training, you know, like what’s announced in between 30 and 35 degrees, it was really hot, and then you come to Denver and the altitude and it’s really, really cold,” said Pochettino.

The USMNT head coach also cited the massive difference in weather conditions as a huge risk for the players. “I know, I don’t want to say that Christian or Malik, they feel something, but I think we, it was really tough for the player, you know, to prepare the game and then to play,” Pochettino added. And that was not all.

Pulisic played against Australia in a friendly game. Unfortunately, in the first half of the game, the US star looked to have overstretched his right leg in the first half. In an update about Pulisic’s injury, the club revealed, “An MRI scan performed today revealed a low-grade tear in his right hamstring. …will be reevaluated in approximately 10 days.”

Back in 2023-24, Christian Pulisic played 36 games and scored 12 goals. He also contributed with 8 assists. Next up, in the 2024-25 season, the US soccer star scored 11 goals and 9 assists in 34 appearances. Losing him at such a crucial juncture in the season as they try to consolidate their lead over Inter and catch up to Napoli in first is a massive blow. And Milan hasn’t hesitated to make that fact known.

AC Milan voices frustration with the consequences of the USMNT match 

AC Milan’s patience appeared to have worn thin after Christian Pulisic returned from international duty with an injury. More so because many inside the club believed it could have been prevented. Milan considered that there were clear signs of fatigue. However, despite that, Pulisic was named in the lineup. And within half an hour, he left the pitch clutching his hamstring. The Italian side viewed the situation as a needless gamble.

Furthermore, the irritation in Milan deepened when it emerged that Pulisic had been struggling with ankle discomfort for weeks. Despite that, he was fielded in a match that carried no major competitive consequence. “He felt discomfort in his hamstring. We have to wait for the test results,” said Mauricio Pochettino afterward. Such an update seemed like an attempt to avoid throwing further light on the seriousness of the injury. 

Within the club, the feeling was that the decision to start Christian Pulisic, particularly in a low-stakes fixture, ignored warnings about his condition. Medical examinations in Italy were postponed because of a flight delay, and initial impressions suggested a three-to-four-week layoff. For now, however, Milan has to deal with the immediate loss of one of their most effective players for the upcoming matches.