Pulisic’s Frustration Sparks Competition at AC Milan

Christian Pulisic is tired of watching. Ruben Amorim is delighted about it.

The AC Milan head coach has admitted the American is “upset” with his complete lack of minutes so far this Serie A season, a reaction Amorim sees as a positive sign rather than a problem.

Pulisic has not played a single second across Milan’s opening three league fixtures. A micro-fracture and bone bruise in his right leg, suffered at the World Cup, kept him out until he finally rejoined full training last month. Since then, he has been stuck on the sidelines, watching a new rival steal the spotlight on his flank.

Speaking before Milan’s trip to Rome, Amorim made it clear that the wait is almost over.

“I think you guys are going to see Pulisic,” he told reporters on Friday. “I don’t know if he is going to start or he’s going to get on the pitch from the bench. I think he’s going to play at least a few minutes now and I like Pulisic. I really like him as a player. He’s upset because he’s had zero minutes so far, and I like that in my players.”

That frustration now meets a very different Milan than the one Pulisic left for international duty.

Cisse’s rise changes the equation

On the left wing, 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse has ripped up the script.

The Italian youth international has taken full advantage of Pulisic’s absence, turning a short window of opportunity into a compelling case to stay in the team. Two goals already, both eye-catching, backed up by fearless, direct dribbling that has lit up San Siro and quickly earned him cult status among the Milan faithful.

Cisse’s emergence has turned what looked like a straightforward return for “Captain America” into a genuine selection battle.

Amorim did not shy away from that reality when asked how he would juggle two high-profile options for the same position.

“I won’t remove anyone who’s doing well just to name a player,” he said, his stance unmistakable. “This is my way of managing the group, and I’ll die with these principles.”

The message is clear: Pulisic’s name, reputation and résumé will not guarantee anything. Not under this coach. Not in this Milan dressing room.

A proven star facing a new kind of test

Pulisic did not arrive in Milan as a prospect. He arrived as a reference point.

Signed in the summer of 2023 on a four-year deal, the USMNT winger has already stacked up 134 appearances for the Rossoneri in all competitions. His return – 42 goals and 27 assists – underlines his importance since landing in Italy, as does the Supercoppa Italiana he helped lift in the 2024-25 season.

His summer only added to the workload. Pulisic represented the United States at the World Cup, missing just the group-stage match against Australia due to injury. He played four games, providing one assist before the USMNT fell in the round of 16 to Belgium.

That World Cup campaign ended with pain in his right leg and a long rehabilitation. Now he comes back to find a teenager in full flight occupying his role and a coach publicly vowing not to bend for big names.

The stage is set in Rome. Pulisic is finally ready to step back onto the pitch. The real question is how long it takes him to reclaim not just his minutes, but his place at the heart of Milan’s plans.