Although AC Milan are right in the Champions League race, their attacking play is suffering. A big factor in this: Christian Pulisic. The ex-Dortmund player is no longer able to score.
The fact that Christian Pulisic has not scored a Serie A goal since December 28 is not due to his playing time. While the American scored eight goals in his first eleven games of the 2025-16 season, his tally has remained at zero in 16 matches since then.
And that’s despite Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri including the attacker in his starting eleven during this period. But together with Rafael Leao, among others, who is no longer allowed to play on the wing as he used to, he has achieved little. Most recently seen at the weekend in the dismal 0-0 draw in the top match against runners-up Juventus, when only Milan winger Alexis Saelemaekers got the home fans off their seats with a goal against the crossbar.
“Pulisic out of form? He’s a very sensitive player”
The result of the Rossoneri’s dilemma: with just 48 goals for the season, their attacking play is still lacking, something that the best defense in the Italian top flight (only 27 goals conceded in 34 games) knows how to compensate for – and thus keeps the club in third place. Incidentally, the winter move to loan out Niclas Füllkrug (one goal in 17 games) is not bearing fruit either.
But back to Pulisic. The former Dortmund player, who first moved to Chelsea FC after BVB in 2019 and joined Milan in 2023, absolutely worked in his first spell. Twelve league goals plus numerous assists in 36 league appearances in 2023/24 were supplemented last season, which Milan finished without an international place, with eleven goals and over ten assists in 34 games. The current tally of eight goals in 27 games does not match this.
The Gazzetta dello Sport also recognizes this and describes Pulisic as “sad and helpless on the pitch”. His coach Allegri, however, jumped to the aid of his protégé after the clean sheet against Juve and told Italian media: “Pulisic out of form? He’s a very sensitive player, maybe he feels the lack of goals more than others.” He also said that he knows that the technically adept and experienced US international may find it easier to have an experienced striker up front as a target. That could be a consideration for the final tasks in Serie A. Ultimately, however, it is about leading the entire team and securing the Champions League. “And,” Allegri continued, “I’m sure that Pulisic will help us from now on.”
Which, incidentally, is also what the professional himself meant at the beginning of April after scoreless performances in US kit. The 84-time international (32 goals) has been waiting for a goal in four international matches, with his last success coming in a 2-0 win over Japan at the start of September. Pulisic admitted to TNT Sports at the beginning of April that the current phase was difficult, but that he felt he was on the right path back: “I’m just staying positive. Physically, I feel good, I’m in top shape. I think I can do a lot of good things: helping my teammates with assists, scoring goals and creating chances. Of course it’s frustrating not to be able to do that at the moment, but I think I’m close – there are good times ahead again.