SOCCER
Is Christian Pulisic the best player in Serie A?
The USMNT star has been in hot form for AC Milan, adding another goal on Sunday with a superb volleyed finish.
AC Milan have made a shaky start to the new Serie A season, falling to defeat on Sunday against Fiorentina. Paulo Fonseca’s side have now won just three of their opening seven games, despite the impressive performances of Christian Pulisic.
The USMNT captain was on the scoresheet against on Sunday, beating former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea with a deft volley from close range. That goal takes Pulisic’s tally for the season to five goals in seven Serie A games. He was also in the scoresheet in the Champions league loss to Liverpool last month.
In all competitions Pulisic is on six goals for the new season, behind only Mateo Retegui and Marcus Thuram (7 goals) in Serie A. Both Retegui and Thuram are out-and-out strikers.
Last season saw Pulisic record a career-best season, hitting 15 goals and 10 assists across all competitions and landed a spot on the Serie A Team of the Season. Given his red-hot start to 2024/25 and the recent departure of reigning Serie A Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen, Pulisic could soon stake his claim to be the best player in Italy.
Pulisic at the centre of penalty controversy for AC Milan
The 26-year-old was on the scoresheet again but could - and possible should - have further added to his tally. AC Milan were awarded two penalties in the defeat to Fiorentina and Pulisic, as the designated penalty taker, should have taken them.
However Pulisic stepped aside to allow first Theo Hernandez and then Tammy Abraham to take and miss their spot kicks. Speaking after the game, Fonseca revealed that he had made clear to the USMNT star that he should be taking penalties.
He explained: “Our penalty taker is Pulisic, I don’t know why the players changed their minds. I spoke to him and said that it must not happen again.”
Fonseca’s position is understandable, given Pulisic’s incredible record from the penalty spot. He has scored all ten penalties taken during his career, most of which have come while on international duty. However he did also score from 12 yards for Milan in last month’s 4-0 Serie A victory over Venezia FC.