Christian Pulisic heads into another defining weekend for Milan as the club prepares to face Lazio at San Siro, still digesting the aftershocks of their derby triumph and the injury clouds hanging over key players. Massimiliano Allegri, balancing confidence and caution, must again work around the absence of Santiago Gimenez, while simultaneously managing the remarkable resurgence of Luka Modric, who has become an unexpected cornerstone in the Rossoneri’s roster. The conversation across Italy is dominated by tactical questions, selection fears, and whether Pulisic will be fit enough to feature on Saturday night.
Milan enters the weekend on a high. Its 1-0 derby victory over Inter, sealed by Pulisic’s close-range finish and protected by Mike Maignan’s penalty-saving heroics, extended its unbeaten run to 12 matches and pushed the club up to second in the table. Allegri’s message in the aftermath was firm: stay grounded, stay compact, and take advantage of momentum.
But the victory came with a cost. The coach confirmed that Pulisic has not trained since Tuesday after reporting muscle fatigue, making him a major doubt for Lazio. As Sky Italia revealed further, Pulisic failed to make it to the team’s practice on Thursday, even though tests revealed no injury. Despite the player’s frustration, the Italian manager and the medical team are unwilling to take any risks.
This comes only days after confirmation that Santiago Gimenez is still unavailable, needing more time to recover from an ankle injury. The American winger’s absence would force Allegri to deploy Rafael Leao and Christopher Nkunku together again.
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Will Modric line up against Lazio?
The mystery overshadowing the buildup surrounds Allegri’s stance on Modric’s status. Sources across Italian media confirm, including Sky Italia, that the Croatian veteran will retain his starting spot, barring last-minute surprises.
The 40-year-old has exceeded expectations since arriving from Real Madrid, offering control, leadership, and unmatched tempo management. This decision is crucial not just tactically—but symbolically. With Pulisic doubtful and Gimenez ruled out, Modric becomes the stabilizing force the Rossoneri cannot afford to rotate away.
Luka Modric of AC Milan celebrates after scoring
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Milan vs. Lazio: Projected lineups
Milan projected XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Leao.
Lazio projected XI (4-3-3): Provedel; Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Marusic; Guendouzi, Vecino, Basic; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni.
