Christian Pulisic joins history books despite injury woes as Milan shatters impressive 2025-26 European record

Christian Pulisic did not step onto the pitch on Tuesday night against Bologna, yet his name still found its way into a chapter of Milan’s modern history. As the American continues to battle physical setbacks, the club pressed forward regardless, delivering another authoritative performance that quietly pushed them into rare European territory. What unfolded at the Dall’Ara was not just another away win or another clean sheet, but a night that subtly reshaped the narrative of Milan’s 2025-26 campaign.

The absence of Pulisic, dealing with bursitis near his hip, forced Massimiliano Allegri to improvise once more. And yet, even without one of their most decisive players, Milan moved with the confidence of a side that knows exactly where it is headed.

Milan’s 3-0 victory away at Bologna felt clinical, composed, and deeply symbolic. Ruben Loftus-Cheek opened the scoring in the 20th minute after intelligent work from Adrien Rabiot, setting the tone early. Christopher Nkunku doubled the advantage from the penalty spot, before Rabiot himself sealed the win shortly after the break with a left-footed finish that underlined his growing influence.

Few moments capture the transformation of the Rossoneri this season better than the arrival of Adrien Rabiot. Signed permanently this summer, the French midfielder has become the heartbeat of the team. Since his arrival, Milan has not lost a single league match, a fact that now feels impossible to separate from his presence.

His contribution against the Rossoblu—one assist and one goal—only told part of the story. The real statement came moments after Loftus-Cheek scored, when the Frenchman immediately embraced Nkunku, who had earlier missed a clear chance. It was leadership in its purest form, the kind that rarely shows up on stat sheets.

The record finally revealed

Only in the middle of this journey does the scale of Milan’s achievement fully reveal itself. With the win in Bologna, Milan extended its unbeaten run to 22 consecutive matches, a sequence unmatched anywhere else in Europe’s top leagues during the 2025-26 season.

Massimiliano Allegri’s players now boast the longest active unbeaten streak in Europe, standing alone above sides such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. It is the club’s longest single-season unbeaten run since the legendary 1992-93 campaign under Fabio Capello, when the Rossoneri reached 23 matches without defeat. The comparison is unavoidable, but Allegri’s Milan remains a different beast. This is not yet a finished superpower, but rather a team growing into one.

How Pulisic contributed to the record

The broader picture is just as striking. Milan has reached 50 points by matchday 23, something achieved only twice before in the three-points-for-a-win era. The Red and Blacks are already 15 points better off than last season, sitting comfortably clear of fifth place and steadily tightening their grip on a Champions League return.

Away from home, the record is even more impressive. The club remains unbeaten in its first 12 away league matches, a feat not seen since Serie A returned to a 20-team format in 2004-05. Only Bayern Munich can match that consistency across Europe’s major leagues.

Even while sidelined, Christian Pulisic remains central to the story. Milan’s top scorer with 10 goals in all competitions, the American has battled hamstring problems and now bursitis, limiting him to just three starts in the last six league games.