Christian Pulisic remains at the center of Milan’s concerns this week, as the American forward continues to rehabilitate from a muscle problem at a crucial moment in the season. Milan, still top of Serie A and fighting on multiple fronts, is preparing for another meeting with Lazio—this time in the Coppa Italia—but the question surrounding Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez’s readiness lingers in the background, unresolved and inevitably tense.
Even as Pulisic watches from the sidelines, his impact this season has been nothing short of extraordinary. As per ESPN, the 27-year-old remains the most productive attacker across Europe’s top five leagues among players who have played at least one-third of their team’s minutes, averaging 1.5 non-penalty goals + assists per 90 minutes. That figure, in fact, puts him ahead of Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe.
This is the most complete version Milan has seen of him, and the best American player in the world is building the best season of his career ahead of a home World Cup. But that excellence is what makes the current concern more pronounced. After a winning derby performance, Pulisic suffered a mild muscle strain during training—another setback in a season that has already included a hamstring tear in October. The Rossoneri beat Lazio 1-0 in Serie A without him, but his absence was felt.
Pulisic set for return to training at Milanello
On Monday, Milan returned to Milanello for recovery work after defeating Lazio at San Siro. The focus immediately shifted to Thursday’s rematch in Rome. And quietly, the news around Pulisic began to turn.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan
MilanNews reports that Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez continued individual training, but the American’s timeline is far more optimistic. The expectation—if there are no setbacks—is that he rejoins group training on Wednesday, a significant step toward availability. Gazzetta dello Sport echoed the sentiment, noting that Pulisic trained alone on Monday but is “close to returning to the group.”
Whether he appears against Lazio depends on his response to increased intensity. The club will not risk a relapse: Pulisic is too valuable for the Red and Blacks’ title push, and for the looming Italian Super Cup. Sky Italia added that the forward even completed partial training with the team, finishing the session with individual work, a sign of good progress. Still, as one report put it, “he remains a doubt.” Nothing is guaranteed.
Santiago Gimenez of AC Milan scores
Will Pulisic return against Lazio?
Beyond sheer optimism, Milan’s evaluation hinges on one reality: the medical staff must determine if Pulisic is fit enough for the match without risking long-term damage. The club is managing him with extraordinary caution. It remains unclear whether he is fully ready to be involved, and that internal assessment shapes the decisions that follow.
The next 48 hours will determine everything. Milan expects clarity after Tuesday and Wednesday’s sessions. If Pulisic responds well, he may travel to Rome—perhaps as a substitute, perhaps more. If not, Allegri will hold him for Torino next week.
