Christian Pulisic has rarely been far from the spotlight since arriving in Italy, but the latest Serie A weekend pushed him into a far more uncomfortable glare. As Christian Pulisic continues to establish himself as a key figure for Milan, a dramatic draw away from home reopened familiar debates about expectations, finishing, and the fine margins that separate momentum from frustration. The discussion intensified when Fabio Capello weighed in, invoking the name of Ronaldo Nazario in a comparison that immediately raised eyebrows across Serie A.
What initially appeared to be a point rescued late against Fiorentina soon evolved into a broader conversation about Milan’s attacking identity, its recurring inconsistency, and one decisive sequence that defined the night.
On paper, a 1-1 draw in Florence is rarely disastrous. Fiorentina is a demanding opponent, particularly at home, and Massimiliano Allegri rotated heavily after a congested run of fixtures. Yet this result carried a lingering sense of regret. The Rossoneri created enough chances to win comfortably, especially in the first half, and still walked away feeling they had let something slip.
La Gazzetta dello Sport highlighted how Milan’s attack, previously overly dependent on two players, finally showed signs of diversification. Niclas Fullkrug, starting his first league match, repeatedly linked play intelligently, while Christopher Nkunku—under pressure since his summer arrival—delivered a decisive late contribution. And yet, the match narrative kept circling back to one player and three moments.
The chances that changed the conversation
Pulisic found himself on the end of multiple clear-cut opportunities, all crafted by Fullkrug’s classic center-forward play. The German repeatedly held off defenders, combined sharply, and released the American into space. On another night, those situations would likely have ended with the ball in the net.
Instead, the American hesitated. One chance saw him attempt to dribble around goalkeeper David De Gea when a first-time finish seemed the obvious choice. Another ended straight at the keeper from close range. A third flashed narrowly wide. These were chances he normally converts, and that contrast became the foundation for post-match scrutiny. Despite the Red and Blacks eventually equalizing through Nkunku’s instinctive near-post finish, the sense remained that the visitors had paid for wastefulness.
What did Capello say about Pulisic?
It was in the aftermath that Capello’s comments gave the debate sharper edges. Writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Milan and Real Madrid coach delivered an assessment that mixed tactical criticism with an unusually pointed individual reference. “Pulisic did everything thanks to Fullkrug,” he wrote. “The attacking duo created two or three chances out of nothing, but the American uncharacteristically missed them all.”
Then came the line that framed headlines across Italy. “Mistakes uncharacteristic of him, like when he tried to beat De Gea instead of shooting, even though there was no space: in that space, only Ronaldo Nazario could have beaten the goalkeeper and scored.” In one sentence, Capello underlined both Pulisic’s quality and the impossibility of what he attempted. The reference to Ronaldo Nazario was not praise by association, but a reminder of how rare that level of improvisational genius truly is.
