A veil of intrigue surrounds Christian Pulisic as Milan braces for a looming battle against Sassuolo. With the international break in the rearview mirror, Ruben Amorim must forge a path through a grueling, unforgiving October gauntlet. Battered by injuries and facing a relentless fixture list, the Rossoneri mastermind is on the precipice of a profound tactical metamorphosis, where the role of the American talisman hangs delicately in the balance.
Milan has started the league campaign strongly under Amorim, collecting three wins and two draws from its opening five Serie A matches. The victory over Lecce before the break was particularly encouraging, with Pulisic, Diego Moreira and Adrien Rabiot all finding the net in a convincing 3-0 win.
The Rossoneri now return to action on Sunday, October 11, against Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium. The match begins an extremely demanding month in which the Rossoneri are expected to play for 21 points across just 28 days, making squad rotation increasingly important.
Amorim has already shown that he wants his side to evolve tactically, and this weekend could provide another example. The Portuguese coach is reportedly considering a more attacking setup while still trying to maintain enough defensive balance to deal with Sassuolo’s counter-attacking threat.
Injuries could force Milan into tactical change
Milan will be without Alexis Saelemaekers, while Pervis Estupinan remains a fitness doubt after missing time with injury. Both players have been important options, leaving Amorim with decisions to make on the flanks. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the circumstances could lead Amorim to field “his most attacking side ever”.
The coach has generally avoided using two pure attacking wingers from the start, but the current selection problems could encourage him to take a different approach. The Neroverdi should provide a stern test for any tactical experiment. The hosts have already shown they can cause problems for stronger opponents, including a victory over Juventus.
AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim gestures
Will Pulisic play against Sassuolo?
Amid the tactical uncertainty, Christian Pulisic is expected to start behind Goncalo Ramos if Amorim switches to a 4-2-3-1 formation. The American would operate as the central attacking midfielder, with Ramos leading the line and another attacking player occupying the wide left position.
That would represent a slight change from the alternative 3-4-2-1 system, in which Pulisic has also been projected to start alongside another attacking midfielder behind Ramos. Either way, the supplied lineup reports agree on one important point: the American remains one of the key attacking pieces in the coach’s plans.
How Milan could line up against Sassuolo as per La Gazzetta dello Sport
A possible 4-2-3-1 would feature Mike Maignan in goal, with Mario Gila and Strahinja Pavlovic involved in the defensive line and Davide Bartesaghi potentially replacing Estupinan. Samuel Chukwueze, Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot would provide the midfield structure, while Pulisic would sit behind Ramos.
The 28-year-old forward could also benefit from the form of the players around him. Goncalo Ramos returned from international duty with three goals in four appearances for Portugal, while Alphadjo Cisse also scored for Italy Under-21.
