Pulisic Ready to Return as Milan Faces Rome
Rúben Amorim can see it in Christian Pulisic’s face. The frustration. The impatience. The burning need to get back on the pitch. And he loves every second of it.
The AC Milan head coach confirmed that the American is finally ready to return as the Rossoneri head to Rome, after a stuttering start to the 2026-27 Serie A campaign in which Pulisic has not played a single minute. A micro-fracture and bone bruise in his right leg, suffered at the World Cup, kept him out until last month and delayed his reintegration just as the season kicked off.
Now, though, the wait is almost over.
“I think you guys are going to see Pulisic,” Amorim 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 irritation is understandable. Since joining Milan in the summer of 2023 on a four-year deal, Pulisic has been central to the Rossoneri’s attacking identity. Across all competitions, the USMNT winger has racked up 134 appearances, 42 goals and 27 assists, and helped the club lift the Supercoppa Italiana in the 2024-25 season. He arrived as a marquee signing; he played like one.
But he returns to a very different landscape on the left flank.
Cisse’s rise changes the equation
While Pulisic rehabbed and watched from the sidelines, a teenager grabbed his chance. Alphadjo Cisse, a 19-year-old Italian youth international, has exploded into Amorim’s side and into the San Siro’s imagination.
Given a run on the left, Cisse has already scored two eye-catching goals and brought a fearless, straight-at-you style of dribbling that has electrified Milan’s early season. Every time he gets the ball, there’s a buzz. He is not just filling a gap; he is staking a claim.
The dilemma is obvious: Pulisic, the proven star, versus Cisse, the breakout sensation. Amorim, though, is not interested in sentimental decisions or reputational guarantees.
“I won’t remove anyone who’s doing well just to name a player,” he said, his stance crystal clear. “This is my way of managing the group, and I’ll die with these principles.”
That line sets the tone. No automatic returns. No free passes for big names. If Pulisic wants his old status back, he will have to take it on the pitch, not receive it by default.
From World Cup pain to Milan fight
Pulisic’s summer only sharpened that edge. With the United States at the World Cup, he missed just one group-stage match – against Australia – through injury and still managed one assist in four appearances. The tournament ended with a round-of-16 exit to Belgium, another reminder of how fine the margins can be at the highest level.
Then came the diagnosis: micro-fracture, bone bruise, enforced pause. For a player who thrives on rhythm and responsibility, the timing could hardly have been worse. Milan moved on without him. Cisse surged. The competition he once controlled has turned into a battle.
Now Amorim stands between the two, unflinching. He admires Pulisic’s anger, but he refuses to dismantle what is working. The message to his dressing room is as loud as anything he said into a microphone: form rules, not reputation.
Rome will likely bring Pulisic’s first steps back into Serie A this season. The question is not whether he still has the quality. His numbers in red and black already answer that. The question is whether “Captain America” can reclaim his starring role in a Milan side that has discovered a new hero in his position – and how long Amorim is willing to let that duel run before one of them forces his hand.
