Tag: Serie A

Pulisic back scoring for AC Milan after Cagliari brace

Pulisic’s career-best season continued as Milan crushed Cagliari 5-1

Christian Pulisic is looking to end a strong first season with AC Milan on a high note.

The U.S. men’s national team attacker struck twice for Milan in a ruthless second half as the Rossoneri thumped Cagliari 5-1 on Saturday.

The double takes Pulisic up to 12 goals in Serie A this season, and 15 in all competitions. Pulisic’s first multi-goal game with Milan also broke a goalless run over the last month, with the Pennsylvania native’s last goal coming on April 6 in a 3-0 win over Lecce.

Pulisic’s total of 15 goals and nine assists is by some distance his best output over one season. His previous best, an 11 goal/eight assist campaign with Chelsea, came in the 2019-20 season. The output also represents the most productive first season at the club for any Rossoneri player since Carlos Bacca in 2015-16.

Sporting a “Harlow” No. 11 kit as part of a Mother’s Day celebration, Pulisic got the nod despite some rotation from manager Stefano Pioli, and though Milan held a 1-0 edge at halftime, those changes seemed to contribute to a flat performance.

A triple substitution during the break seemed to be just what the doctor ordered, as the Rossoneri upped the tempo to increase their lead.

One of the changes, Rafael Leão, pushed Milan forward after a backheel from USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah caught Cagliari off guard.

The Portugal winger raced into the visitors’ half before showing patience, waiting for Pulisic — who held his run for a moment before sprinting into a seam — before sending the U.S. forward through.

From there, Pulisic made no mistake, racing into the box before firing past a helpless Simone Scuffet.

While Cagliari would offer a quick response to make it 2-1, Milan proceeded to overpower the Serie A strugglers. Tijjani Reijnders’ brilliant long-range goal in the 74th minute seemed to break the will of the club from Sardinia, and the Rossoneri showed no mercy.

Leão would essentially walk a fourth over the line, while Pulisic’s fifth needed some help from goal-line technology.

Noah Okafor’s cross from the endline found Pulisic in a good position, but the latter’s low shot was initially not given, as Yerry Mina lunged in on the line for a possible block.

However, within a moment, referee Simone Sozza gave the goal, signaling that the ball had indeed completely crossed the line.

Watch Pulisic claim a brace vs. Cagliari

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Why Pulisic is wearing a jersey with ‘Harlow’ in AC Milan-Cagliari match

Milan’s No. 11 didn’t wear “Pulisic” on Saturday, but it was, in fact, still the USMNT star

It may not have looked like it on Saturday, but AC Milan’s No. 11 against Cagliari was, in fact, still Christian Pulisic.

Instead of his usual look, Pulisic, along with the rest of his teammates, wore his mother’s maiden name on the back of his jersey for the Serie A clash at San Siro.

That meant that Milan’s No. 11 was “Harlow” rather than “Pulisic” for one match.

On Mother’s Day weekend, Milan’s players took to the pitch wearing their mothers’ maiden names, in recognition of a court ruling in April 2022 that said an Italian law automatically giving a child their father’s last name was discriminatory.

Now, both parents have the right to choose which surname their children receive.

Pulisic’s teammate for club and country, Yunus Musah, also started against Cagliari, wearing “Abubakari” on his back instead of his usual surname.

“We are happy and proud of this initiative, born on a special occasion like Mother’s Day to raise public awareness about the equal right to choose the surname of one’s children,” said AC Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani in a club release.

“We are equally pleased with the attention and enthusiasm with which it has been welcomed by Lega Serie A and the participation of several other clubs in our league.”

Along with AC Milan, five other Serie A clubs participated in the initiative on Mother’s Day weekend.

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McKennie on Juventus future: ‘I’d like to stay, but we’ll see what happens’

The USMNT midfielder has been linked with an exit as his contract enters its final year

Weston McKennie has said he would like to remain at Juventus beyond this season, but the midfielder also left the door slightly open to a possible exit.

McKennie has been one of his side’s top performers in 2023-24, regaining a prominent role with Juventus after an ill-fated loan with Leeds in the second half of last season.

The U.S. men’s national team star is set to enter the final season of his contract, which will expire in June 2025. That makes the coming months potentially decisive when it comes to his Juventus future.

Juventus has been in talks with McKennie over a new contract, but may be forced to sell this summer if a deal can’t be reached.

After his side drew Roma 1-1 on Sunday, McKennie spoke to DAZN about his future with the Bianconeri.

“I have a year left in my contract, and my agent is speaking with the director. I’d like to stay, obviously, but we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we can work it out,” he said.

Juventus currently sits third in Serie A as the season winds down. The club fell well off the pace in the title race after a promising start, and will have its only chance at silverware on May 15 when it faces Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final.

Should he stay, McKennie said he is hoping to bring his side back to its past glories in the coming seasons.

“As for the team, we have the same goal we’ve had for the past three years. We want to win the Scudetto and play a big role in the Champions League; we want to return Juventus to the glory days, how it was before,” the Texan said.

“Juventus are a team with a lot of winning history, and this team wants to show that we belong in that history as well, so hopefully, we can win the Coppa Italia, at least a trophy this season and finish the season strong and for the future put Juventus where we belong.”

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Pulisic shines as No. 10 but AC Milan throws away win vs. Genoa

The USMNT star did all he could to get his side a win on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough

Christian Pulisic did all he could to help AC Milan to victory on Sunday, but a shaky defensive display from the Rossoneri meant they had to settle for a 3-3 draw with Genoa.

Playing as a No. 10, the U.S. men’s national team star nearly scored in the first half before assisting what appeared to be a late winner from Olivier Giroud.

But a mix-up in Milan’s defense resulted in an own goal from Malick Thiaw that gave the visitors a share of the spoils.

It was an inauspicious beginning for the home side at San Siro, as a poor challenge from Fikayo Tomori gave Genoa a chance from the penalty spot within five minutes. Mateo Retegui made no mistake, giving Genoa an early lead.

Pulisic nearly equalized right away, curling a shot off the far post after some nice work inside the box to open up space.

The USMNT star nearly scored again before the break, drawing a great save from Genoa goalkeeper Josep Martínez with a drive from distance.

Pulisic would eventually get on the scoresheet after Milan fought back to tie the match 2-2, playing an inch-perfect cross to the back post for an unmarked Giroud to volley home.

There would be one more twist, however, as Tomori’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Thiaw and in for an 87th-minute equalizer.

Pulisic now has a career-high seven league assists this season to go along with a career-high 13 goals in all competitions.

For Milan, the club still maintained a five-point lead in second place after second-place Juventus drew Roma 1-1 later on Sunday.

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McKennie posts, deletes Manchester United jersey picture on Facebook

The photo was up for less than an hour before it was quickly deleted

There was a curious photo that briefly showed up on Weston McKennie’s Facebook account on Friday.

Accompanied by a caption of “I’m here!” was a photoshopped image of the Juventus midfielder wearing a Manchester United jersey. The profile picture was up for less than an hour before it was deleted.

According to Calciomercato, the explanation was the most obvious one: McKennie’s account was hacked.

The post certainly came at an interesting moment, with McKennie locked in contract talks with Juventus near the end of a standout season for the Serie A club.

The latest reports out of Italy suggested that the U.S. national team midfielder rejected the club’s most recent offer, which could see Juve look to sell him over the summer rather than lose him for free when his contract expires in 2025.

Among the clubs linked with a summer move for McKennie is, naturally, Manchester United, which GIVEMESPORT recently said was eyeing a transfer for the 25-year-old.

The report said that McKennie could be available for as little as £15 million despite his excellent campaign in Serie A.

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Milan TV pundit says Pulisic has been lacking in big games

Has the USMNT star gone missing in the biggest games? The record is mixed

Christian Pulisic has been accused of lacking in big matches during his debut campaign at AC Milan.

The U.S. national team star has enjoyed a standout season with the Rossoneri, setting a career high in goals with 13 while becoming an every-week starter under Stefano Pioli.

But according to pundit Luca Serafini of the club’s in-house television channel Milan TV, the 25-year-old could see his place eventually come under threat from Samuel Chukwueze.

Part of that, according to Serafini, is down to Pulisic’s lack of signature performances in big games.

“Chukwueze is in splendid condition at the moment, he is always decisive,” Sefafini said.

“It’s true that Pulisic has been lacking a bit in the big matches. From the point of view of his participation, and [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek, I would expect more in some moments. Pioli relies on his faithful at the moment. Chukwueze is a player of the future, when we said that certain players must be waited on it is true. He is proving to be worth the search last year and the money that Milan spent.”

Pulisic’s record in big games

With the USMNT, Pulisic has consistently delivered in big moments in recent years. His goal against Iran in the 2022 World Cup sent the USMNT to the knockout stage, and he scored a brace against Mexico in the 2023 Nations League semifinal.

Pulisic’s record with Milan in the biggest matches has been mixed. The Pennsylvania native went scoreless in six total league games against Inter, Juventus and Roma, as well as both legs of a Europa League quarterfinal exit against Roma.

The winger has scored against fourth-place Bologna in the league, as well as seventh-place Lazio. He also found the net in a decisive Champions League win over Newcastle to close out the group stage. Milan fell short of the knockout stage despite the victory, but did qualify for the Europa League.

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Pioli explains why Pulisic continues to keep Chukwueze out of Milan lineup

The USMNT star is still undroppable for the AC Milan coach

Samuel Chukwueze has been in improved form for AC Milan in recent weeks, but he still has a major roadblock to increased playing time: Christian Pulisic.

The American forward started Saturday’s game against Juventus, and wasn’t replaced by Chukwueze until the 83rd minute despite a subdued performance in a 0-0 draw.

Pulisic has been an ever-present in Pioli’s side this season, and has rewarded his manager with a career season that has seen him score 13 goals in all competitions.

Chukwueze, who like Pulisic was a summer signing prior to this season, has started his Milan career much more slowly, totaling just three goals and two assists since his move from Villarreal.

Though he’s been improved lately, the Nigeria international continues to see limited minutes.

Pioli explained his thought process in his post-match interview with DAZN on Saturday.

“I liked Pulisic instead,” the coach said. “Chukwueze is also doing well but at the moment, I won’t give up an extra midfielder to play with four attacking players and therefore, [Chukwueze] is the one who was sacrificed.”

Pioli has started Chukwueze and Pulisic together before, which has worked to good effect as the USMNT star has moved inside to play as a No. 10. Playing the right wing spot that Pulisic normally occupies, Chukwueze assisted a goal for Pulisic against Lecce earlier this month.

Against a stronger opponent on Saturday, though, Pioli wasn’t ready to play such an attacking lineup.

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Pulisic may yet be dropped by new AC Milan coach, Lalas says

All bets could be off if a new coach doesn’t rate Pulisic, the ex-USMNT defender says

Christian Pulisic’s outstanding season at AC Milan may not count for much if a new head coach doesn’t rate him, according to Alexi Lalas.

Pulisic has set a career high in goals with 13 during his first season with AC Milan following a transfer from Chelsea last summer.

But the coach who brought him to Milan and offered a regular starting role, Stefano Pioli, appears to be heading for the exit at the end of the season, per multiple reports.

Pulisic has credited Pioli on multiple occasions with offering him the platform he needed to reignite his career. But it appears the U.S. national team star will now have to prove himself all over again leading into the 2024-25 campaign.

Speaking on his State of the Union Podcast, Lalas said that coaching changes won’t be anything new for Pulisic, but losing Pioli certainly won’t be a positive development for the 25-year-old.

“He’s been around long enough, he’s a grizzled veteran, even at a relatively young age in his career, and he’s seen how quickly things can change,” the former USMNT defender said.

“I got a question on X this morning about, ‘Has he done enough?’ Yeah, he’s done more than enough to prove his worth, to prove his value to Milan. Matter of fact, I think you could argue he’s been their best player.

“It doesn’t matter because when there is a changing of the guard, there’s often a change of mentality and you have people that come in with their preconceived notions and their baggage and their direction that they want to go.

“Who knows? Christian Pulisic might be in a place that thousands of players have been, where they are just not part of the plans going forward. The good part for Christian Pulisic is I think there will be a lot of suitors out there.”

Pulisic and Milan will face Juventus in Serie A on Saturday in a game that could feature four USMNT players, with Yunus Musah lining up for Milan and Weston McKennie and Tim Weah featuring for the Bianconeri.

Watch Lalas on Pulisic’s AC Milan situation

Is Weston McKennie dating an Inter player’s sister?

There’s no confirmation yet, but there’s an awful lot of smoke

Weston McKennie has been in the headlines in Italy lately, which isn’t unusual for a key player at Juventus. But many stories about McKennie recently have had little to do with his ability to kick a soccer ball.

The Italian press, boosted by some obsessive social media sleuths, recently started noticing the Juventus midfielder exchanging likes on social media with Chiara Frattesi, a model and the sister of Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi.

The talk started to heat up earlier this month when Frattesi was spotted in the stands for Juventus’s match against Fiorentina. Frattesi has been known to frequent Inter games to support her brother, but what would bring her to a Juventus match? Did she simply want to see Max Allegri’s 3-5-2 system in action?

But then, more smoke: Frattesi posted a picture of herself with two dogs on Instagram that several astute observers pointed out looked an awful lot like McKennie’s dogs.

Finally this weekend, there was more. McKennie posted a picture of a Lego model of the Eiffel Tower on Instagram with the caption: “Finally finished.”

Minutes later, Frattesi posted a picture of the very same Eiffel Tower from a slightly different angle.

McKennie and Frattesi have not come out publicly with any confirmation that they are a couple, so for now, they can only be considered two people in one other’s orbit.

But they do seem to be orbiting pretty closely at present.

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Pulisic admits he’s been surprised by Serie A difficulty

The USMNT star has set a career high in goals this season, but says it hasn’t been easy

Christian Pulisic admitted he’s been surprised by how difficult Serie A has been during his debut campaign in the Italian top flight.

Pulisic has been a hit with AC Milan during his first season in Italy, scoring a career-best 13 goals in all competitions while adding eight assists.

The U.S. men’s national team star has been a fixture for the Rossoneri after several years at Chelsea where he struggled to lock down a regular place in the lineup.

Pulisic has been part of a growing trend of American players in Serie A, with Yunus Musah playing alongside him in Milan while Weston McKennie and Tim Weah feature for Juventus.

Those four players are set to clash on Saturday when Milan faces Juventus, with Pulisic and McKennie appearing on ESPN’s “Futbol Americas” ahead of the match.

“I’ve actually been surprised with how difficult a lot of the games are in this league,” Pulisic said. “I think it’s been a great test for me.”

Speaking about how he’s managed to have so much success in Milan, the USMNT star added: “I think a lot of that comes down to just being given the opportunities here. I’ve had a lot of time on the field to show what I can do and have been given a creative role and a lot of freedom as well at times, which has been a huge part of getting that self-belief back and growing that confidence.”

McKennie has always been known as a high-motor player, but said that playing in Italy has taught him how to run smarter, not necessarily harder.

“[Serie A] really helped me grow from more of a tactical standpoint and positional standpoint as well,” McKennie said.

“I was in Germany before and I was the workhorse still. I was running everywhere and trying to get into everything and maybe running 60 yards when I only needed to run 20 and get the same job done.

“So I think that Italy definitely helped me out that way, because this is a very tactical league, very defensive league as well. So for me, it helped me out a lot.”

With six matches to play, Milan and Juventus are battling for second place in Serie A. Milan currently holds a five-point lead over Juve, having fallen 2-1 to city rival Inter on Monday in a match that clinched the league title for the Nerazzurri.

Watch Pulisic and McKennie’s full interview

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