Don’t tell Allegri that Milan already has its mind on the derby, because he would firmly deny it. The fact that Pulisic, like Rabiot and Jashari, is being handled with caution to have them in top condition after the break (when, coincidentally, the Rossoneri will be “guests” of Inter...) has nothing to do with the calendar, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Caution with sensitive injuries is always necessary, especially with the muscles of players like Chris and Adrien or the fibula of Jashari, who has been out since late August. It’s hard to say what would have happened if the schedule had been reversed: the derby first and Parma only after the international break.
How will Milan use the Parma match as a test?
The current order allows Milan to use the trip to Emilia also to test Pulisic’s condition. He has been training with the group since Wednesday, and he will likely get some minutes during the match, perhaps half an hour at the end, to gradually regain match rhythm. Parma will not be a light session, though, far from it. For Milan, it means much more. This is not rhetoric; look at the facts. Milan dropped points against Cremonese and Pisa, two teams fighting to avoid relegation. Parma has the same goal, so they will show spirit and determination. Milan, on the other hand, needs to send a strong signal to the league. And to Inter.
In fact, Christian Pulisic's absence from the national team could help, as he might already be available tomorrow night if needed. Either way, he will increase his minutes, having last played in Serie A midway through the second half against Juventus. Then came a long period of inactivity after a minor biceps injury with the national team. As a reasonable form of compensation, Pulisic will miss the upcoming matches with the USA. Coach Pochettino did not include him in the squad for the friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay on November 15 and 19. Thanks to previous agreements between Milan and managing director Furlani, this outcome was already expected. Pulisic’s availability for Milan would not extend to the United States.
Chris will avoid the intercontinental trip and stay at Milanello, where he will train and recover to regain full fitness. Only then will he be useful again to Allegri and later to his national team. Pulisic is also a derby man: Inter is the Italian team he has faced most often in his career, and recently he scored a couple of important goals against them. One came in the Supercoppa final in January 2025, decisive for lifting the trophy, and the other in last season’s first league meeting, a win later sealed by Gabbia, which ended Milan’s negative streak against the Nerazzurri.
Once the league resumes, Allegri might take a similar approach with Jashari. The Swiss midfielder was on the bench against Roma but didn’t play. In Parma, he might restart his engine and then seriously compete for a place in the derby. That’s also the goal for Rabiot. The Frenchman will not join the national team (Deschamps’ Milan players remain Maignan and Nkunku) since he won’t be ready for the weekend either. He will have a couple of weeks to prepare properly for the return.
It’s less certain, though, that the derby will be the target for Santiago Gimenez. The forward is sidelined with an ankle problem, which he made public to show his commitment and to explain a possible drop in performance. His recovery will be monitored carefully, without rushing the process. Not even for the derby.
