AC Milan have reportedly sent a request to Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men’s national team to omit Christian Pulisic from their squad for the November international break.
Tensions have seemingly been rising between the two camps after Pulisic sustained a hamstring injury while representing the Stars and Stripes during the October window. Reports claimed AC Milan were unhappy with how the USMNT handled their star winger’s fitness, prompting a fiery response from Tim Howard and Landon Donovan.
The matter could be escalating, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italian outlet reports the Rossoneri want Pulisic to remain in Milan during the upcoming international break to prioritize his full recovery.
The Italian giants reportedly do not want to take any risks with the American superstar, who led Serie A in scoring before he was sidelined. Milan are desperate to avoid a possible injury setback the forward could suffer while representing the USMNT.
If Pulisic happens to pick up even the slightest knock, he could be unavailable for the Milan derby, set to unfold on Sunday, Nov. 23. As it stands, only two points separate the arch rivals in the Serie A standings, and their upcoming clash could have major long-term implications in the fight for the Italian crown.
USMNT Could Be Without Pulisic for Novemeber Friendlies
Should AC Milan and the USMNT come to an agreement, Pulisic will not appear at Pochettino’s November camp, leaving the Stars and Stripes without their leader against Paraguay and Uruguay.
Even though the two games are international friendlies, they still provide valuable experience for the USMNT to continue growing and developing ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Without Pulisic, though, Pochettino would once again not get to see his strongest XI in action.
Instead, the boss would likely have to rely on Malik Tillman to fill in for his captain. The Bayer Leverkusen man also suffered an injury during the October window, but he is expected to be back and ready in time for a November call-up.
The pressure will be on Tillman, as well as Tim Weah and Florian Balogun, to compensate for Pulisic should the Milan winger miss out against Paraguay and Uruguay.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as AC Milan Deliver Christian Pulisic Ultimatum to Pochettino, USMNT—Report.