Christian Pulisic has helped Ruben Amorim turn a difficult opening chapter at Milan into something the club has not seen for decades. After Sunday’s emphatic victory over Lecce, Amorim has now reached a remarkable milestone in Milan’s history, although the significance of his opening run only becomes clear when it is compared with some of the club’s most famous managerial starts.
Pulisic played his part as Milan produced a convincing 3-0 victory over Lecce, giving Amorim another important result after a difficult spell. The Portuguese coach’s first five Serie A matches have now produced a statistical landmark that stretches back almost half a century.
Amorim’s first five league matches have produced three wins and two draws, giving him 11 points from a possible 15. Milan began with victories over Torino and Venezia before drawing against Juventus and Lazio, then returned to winning ways against Lecce.
The sequence has kept the Rossoneri unbeaten in Serie A under Amorim, despite the pressure that followed a difficult run of results. The 3-0 win over Lecce was particularly important after its 2-0 Europa League defeat to Benfica and consecutive league draws.
Pulisic was among the players to benefit from the tactical adjustments Amorim made for the Lecce match. The American has become an important attacking option as the coach continues to find the right balance within his new squad.
Amorim shatters record that stood for 47 years
The Lecce victory confirmed the historic achievement. Amorim became the first Milan manager since Massimo Giacomini in 1979-80 to remain unbeaten through his first five league matches in charge. That means 47 years had passed since another Milan coach had opened a league tenure with five consecutive games without defeat. Giacomini’s start consisted of two wins and three draws, while Amorim has recorded three wins and two draws.
The Portuguese coach has also joined an even more exclusive group. Only Luis Carniglia and Nils Liedholm had previously guided the club through their first five Serie A matches without suffering defeat, with both achieving the feat during the 1963-64 season.
| Manager | Season | Opening 5 Record | Points (3 pts/win) |
| Nils Liedholm | 1963–64 | W4 D1 | 13 |
| Luis Carniglia | 1963–64 | W3 D2 | 11 |
| Ruben Amorim | 2026–27 | W3 D2 | 11 |
Amorim’s 11-point haul is impressive, but one historic start remains ahead of him. Liedholm collected four wins and one draw across his first five matches, which translates to 13 points under the modern three-points-for-a-win system.
Carniglia also recorded three wins and two draws, giving him the same 11-point total as Amorim when converted to today’s scoring system. Amorim has therefore matched Carniglia’s points haul while falling two points short of Liedholm’s extraordinary opening.
AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim gestures
Pulisic could become important to Amorim’s project
For Pulisic, the changes could provide an opportunity to establish himself as one of Amorim’s key attacking players. The American has been used in more central attacking areas, giving him opportunities to influence matches from positions where he can combine his movement, creativity and finishing.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan with the MOTM award
The Lecce victory therefore carried significance for both player and coach. Pulisic contributed to a result that moved Amorim into rare Milan territory, while the manager’s tactical adjustments offered another indication of how his project could develop.
