Milan is preparing for a European night that will be crucial, as the match against Red Star Belgrade, with a kickoff on Wednesday, December 11 at 21:00 at San Siro, represents an incredible opportunity to make a significant leap in the standings for direct access to the Round of 16, which is still very much within reach. Paulo Fonseca, however, will enter completely unexplored territory, as for the first time since he started coaching the Rossoneri, he will not have Christian Pulisic available, even from the bench.
The American playmaker suffered an injury during the first half of the game, which Milan lost 2-1 to Atalanta in the last league match. Tests revealed a small injury, and as a result, his absence risks extending not only to this Champions League match but also to the upcoming league game against Genoa, with hopes of having him back by December 20 against Verona before Christmas.
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Milan without Pulisic struggles...
This is a novelty, as although Fonseca has only had Pulisic play a full 90 minutes in 5 matches, the former Chelsea player has appeared in all 20 games Milan has played this season. Whether as a right-wing attacker, an attacking midfielder, or even as a left winger, the Portuguese coach has always relied on his most effective weapon, who, with 5 goals and 5 assists, leads both team rankings (Leao also has 5 assists).
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Unique statistics.
Fonseca may have realized too late that a Milan with Pulisic, Leao, and Chukwueze together wasn’t sustainable, but among them, the only irreplaceable player remains the former Borussia Dortmund man, who has unique statistics in the squad. He is the player with the most key passes for his teammates, and he ranks third in the squad for tackles (one fewer than Fofana). Among the attackers, he has the highest pass completion percentage, is second for shots attempted, shots on goal, and surprisingly, also second for balls recovered.
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How does Milan play without Christian Pulisic?
As mentioned, this is uncharted territory, but some clues from his two years of experience in Italy already provide an important guideline. Excluding the heavily won Coppa Italia match against Sassuolo (in which he played 45 minutes), the American has come off the bench only twice in the 2024/25 season due to a pre-Napoli flu and a calf injury before Juventus. In the first case, Milan suffered a heavy 2-0 defeat at San Siro, and in the second, another home game ended in a disappointing and barren 0-0.
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On Pulisic's absences in Stefano Pioli's era
And what about during his first season in Italy under Pioli? The script doesn’t change, with two matches missed entirely due to a thigh problem against Udinese and Lecce, which resulted in a 1-0 home loss and a 2-2 away draw. The 26-year-old may not be a balance-maker, as the data shows clearly, but he is undoubtedly the most complete of the attacking players Fonseca has at his disposal.
Will Milan be able to break through even without him?
Source: Calciomercato.com
