Christian Pulisic’s surprise absence sends Milan fans searching for answers as boss Ruben Amorim explains Benfica decision

Christian Pulisic‘s surprise absence from Milan’s starting lineup against Benfica left supporters searching for answers, while Ruben Amorim had a clear reason for keeping the American on the bench. The decision came on a frustrating night for Milan, which suffered a 2-0 defeat at San Siro in its opening Europa League league-phase match.

Pulisic eventually entered at halftime as Milan attempted to recover from Dodi Lukebakio’s opener. However, Benfica added a second through Jakub Kamiński early in the second half, leaving Milan with too much ground to make up.

Amorim made five changes to the side that had drawn with Lazio, choosing Filippo Terracciano, Ardon Jashari, Davide Bartesaghi, Omari Hutchinson and Alphadjo Cisse from the start. Pulisic was among the notable absentees, with his omission immediately attracting attention given his importance to Milan’s attack.

The American had only recently returned from a leg injury suffered during the World Cup, while he had also picked up a knock during his first Rossoneri training session. That background meant Amorim had to carefully manage his minutes as the season continued to gather pace.

Pulisic enters but Milan struggles

Pulisic was introduced immediately after halftime, giving Milan a more familiar attacking option as it looked for a way back into the contest. The change initially appeared to have an effect, with the home side starting the second period with greater urgency.

Milan should have equalized five minutes after the restart when Koni De Winter missed a huge opportunity with the goal open. Benfica then punished the mistake, with El Karouani cutting the ball back for Kaminski to make it 2-0 in the 52nd minute.

The 27-year-old still managed to create moments of danger. A short corner allowed Alexis Saelemaekers to find his run down the left side of the box, but Pulisic’s first-time effort went straight at Anatoliy Trubin before another low attempt forced a save from the Benfica goalkeeper.

Amorim explains the Pulisic decision

The Milan manager addressed the situation after the match, revealing that Pulisic was one of several players whose physical condition influenced his decisions. Speaking to Sky Italia, Amorim explained that the club was still being cautious with the American’s workload.

“With Rabiot we didn’t know if he was able to play the full 90 minutes. Same for Pulisic. Moreira had two days of rest due to a personal issue. Switch formation? If we have to adapt, we will.”

The comments provide the clearest explanation for Pulisic’s absence from the starting XI. Rather than indicating a major change in his standing within the squad, the decision reflected concerns about whether he was ready to play the entire match following his recent return.