Christian Pulisic could only watch from the sidelines as his team was crushed on Thursday afternoon.
The 28-year-old star forward was an unused substitute in AC Milan’s Europa League clash with AFC Bournemouth, watching as the 10-man Rossoneri were thrashed 3–0 by the English side at Vitality Stadium.
Thursday’s affair was supposed to be the battle of Americans—Milan’s Pulisic and Yunus Musah against Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams, the U.S. men’s national team’s newest captain. But while Musah clocked 90 minutes in his usual place in Milan’s central midfield and Adams played a key role in the Cherries’ victory, Pulisic did not touch the pitch.
It wasn’t surprising that Milan manager Ruben Amorim didn’t include Pulisic in the starting XI. The Portuguese boss has been managing the player’s minutes since the start of the season; however, it was a bit of a shock that he didn’t see the pitch at all. The USMNT poster boy hasn’t been an unused substitute since early September, while still reaching full strength after two separate injuries at the 2026 World Cup this summer.
First-time European competitors Bournemouth were on the front foot from the starting whistle, opening scoring against the seven-time European champions in the eighth minute off of a penalty kick. The Cherries then doubled their lead, thanks to Adams’s ... face. The USMNT star midfielder was manning Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan on a corner kick, when Maignan two-hand shoved Adams right in the nose. The French goalkeeper was flashed red, earning Bournemouth another penalty, which they buried in the 32nd minute.
The Cherries added their third in the 84th minute on a free kick, all while holding Milan to zero shots on target and just three in total. Although Musah impressed with a 100% passing accuracy—further demonstrating his superior skills as a distributor, Milan had just 36% of the game’s possession, meaning he hardly accessed the ball.
What Does the Future Hold for Pulisic in Milan?
Pulisic’s future at the international level with the USMNT has been in question ever since his lackluster display at the World Cup, leaving him with more injuries (two) than goal contributions (one).
But now, his future at the domestic level with Milan is unclear. Can Pulisic return to a consistent place in the Amorim’s starting lineup and prove to the manager that he is fit enough to handle the intensity of European competition in addition Serie A play? Or will he continue to be a spectator in key moments?
Pulisic is in dire need of a resurgence this season. He ended the 2025–26 campaign on a 19-game goal-less drought, dating back to December 2025. He has struggled to produce in his return to domestic play, notching just one goal and one assist across six appearances this fall.
Milan has had a strong start to the Serie A season, currently sitting fourth in league standings after going undefeated across the first seven matches; however, the Rossoneri will need Pulisic at full force to continue this momentum. Europa League play is also not over, seeing Milan battle Ferencváros next on Nov. 5, a game they desperately need to win.
If Pulisic can regain traction in Italy, he may also be able to regain the affections of USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino over in the States. Pochettino is set to name his roster for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals early next month, ahead of the two matches against Haiti on Nov. 14 and Nov. 17.
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