Christian Pulisic will not start for Milan against Bournemouth in the 2026-27 UEFA Europa League, with head coach Ruben Amorim having made significant changes to his lineup. The American forward’s absence from the starting XI comes at a crucial point in Milan’s campaign, as the Italian club looks to build on consecutive victories and improve its position in Europe.
Milan travels to the south coast of England after a convincing 4-0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg and a hard-fought 3-2 win against Atalanta in Serie A. However, with several players unavailable and another demanding stretch of fixtures approaching, Amorim has opted for a different attacking combination against a Bournemouth side that has won both of its opening Europa League matches.
Bournemouth enters the contest with six points from its first two Europa League fixtures, having beaten Real Sociedad 2-1 away before defeating Sturm Graz 3-0 at home. The English club has made an impressive start to its first European campaign and will see Milan’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen its position in the competition.
The Rossoneri, meanwhile, recovered from a 2-0 opening defeat against Benfica with their emphatic victory in Salzburg. Another positive result would help Amorim’s side maintain its progress, although the visitors must contend with an opponent that has shown considerable attacking confidence.
The reason why Pulisic is not starting against Bournemouth
Pulisic has been left out of Milan’s starting lineup as Amorim rotates his squad and gives other attacking players an opportunity. According to the official lineups, the coach has switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation, prioritizing Alphadjo Cisse in a central attacking role, with Omari Hutchinson providing support up front.
The decision comes as Milan manages a busy schedule, with several matches approaching in October, including the Derby della Madonnina against Inter. Amorim has already demonstrated his willingness to make wholesale changes, rotating seven players before the Salzburg victory and making another seven alterations for the subsequent Serie A match against Atalanta.
Pulisic is therefore among the players expected to begin on the bench rather than lead the team’s attack from the opening whistle. His absence from the starting XI is understood to be a selection and rotation decision, rather than confirmation of a fresh injury.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan looks on
Alphadjo Cisse gets the starting opportunity
The biggest attacking decision concerns Cisse, who will lead the line despite Francesco Camarda being another option following Goncalo Ramos’ injury. The young Italian impressed against Salzburg, scoring a hat-trick in Milan’s 4-0 victory and strengthening his case for another prominent role.
According to previous reports from Gazzetta dello Sport, Amorim had already decided to trust Cisse as the central striker against Bournemouth. The forward’s finishing and ability to operate inside the penalty area appear to have convinced the coach that he can offer a different dimension to Milan’s attack.
With Pulisic expected to start among the substitutes, Milan will look to Hutchinson, Moreira and Cisse to provide the attacking energy needed against Bournemouth. The coach will hope that the changes preserve freshness without disrupting the momentum his team has developed over the past week.
