AC Milan winger and United States international Christian Pulisic is returning to Italy with a hamstring injury following his time on international duty. Although a complete evaluation by AC Milan is pending, initial reports indicate he could be out of action for nearly a month.
This means Pulisic will miss not just the upcoming match against Fiorentina, but also future Serie A fixtures against Pisa, Atalanta, Roma, and Parma. The friendly matches played by the U.S. may prove costly for Milan.
Despite these reports, a source informed ESPN that Pulisic’s return flight to Milan was postponed, and he remains in the United States, with no scans yet conducted to assess the severity of his injury.
This season, Pulisic has been Milan’s standout player, netting six goals and providing two assists in seven matches. However, he missed a penalty in a goalless draw against Juventus right before the international break.
At 27 years old, Pulisic was already dealing with a right ankle injury last week and only played from the 73rd minute in Friday’s 1-1 draw against Ecuador. Even so, he started Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Australia but was substituted in the 26th minute due to a suspected hamstring issue.
After the match, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino suggested that the shift in climate and altitude from Austin to Denver might have contributed to Pulisic’s injury, stating, “I think it’s a thing that is a massive risk… we were really saddened by Christian’s situation because it is challenging.” He emphasized the need for better preparation for future matches when traveling from Europe, highlighting the potential impact of altitude on player performance.
The Rossoneri are hoping to have Pulisic back in time for the derby against Inter Milan on November 23, following the next international break.
Milan currently sits third in Serie A, trailing AS Roma and defending champions Napoli by just two points.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report. ESPN writer Jeff Carlisle also contributed to this story.