Christian Pulisic has been a substitute for Milan in their last two games, but will he be named to the starting lineup this time? That is the burning question heading into Milan’s Serie A clash with Udinese — and Massimiliano Allegri finally shed some light on the situation.
The American has been at the heart of Milan’s resurgence since joining from Chelsea, but fitness concerns and a packed schedule have seen him ease back into action. Following the team’s back-to-back victories, it is now looking to solidify its momentum. Still Allegri faces a tough balancing act between rotating his stars and fielding his strongest lineup.
Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri addressed the media ahead of the trip to Udine, offering an encouraging update on three of his key players: Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao, and goalkeeper Mike Maignan. “Pulisic is much better, he came on and did well [against Bologna]. He’s a truly good player,” the manager said during his press conference. “Tomorrow [Saturday] I’ll decide whether to start him. On Tuesday, we have another important knockout game.”
Pulisic has been carefully managed after returning from international duty and overcoming a minor injury that kept him out of the starting XI against Lecce and Bologna. Allegri stressed the importance of patience, saying, “Christian was out for a while with his ankle, then he returned from international duty. He’s a strong player; he can play 30, 60, 90 minutes. He’s strong, but when he’s on the pitch, he’s an impactful player.”
Will Pulisic start this weekend as per Italian media?
Midway through the week, reports from Sky Italia provided Milan fans with some hope — and perhaps a hint of Allegri’s plan. According to their information, the USMNT star is expected to make the starting lineups against Udinese. The American will likely operate behind Santiago Gimenez, as the Italian boss looks to fill the creative void left by Leao’s absence.
how i think Milan should lineup against Udinese,
— Inside Milan (@_InsideMilan) September 19, 2025
I don’t think Nkunku is fit to play 90 minutes yet, rather start gimenez!
*Torriani & Rabiot don’t have a picture pic.twitter.com/0viiQu6Uj8
The timing could be perfect for Pulisic, who celebrated his 27th birthday this week. Despite starting on the bench in the last two matches, he remains one of the Rossoneri’s most decisive players. His record speaks for itself — Pulisic has already scored two goals in four appearances this season, averaging a goal contribution every 219 minutes since joining the Rossoneri.