AC Milan are reportedly unhappy with how the U.S. men’s national team handled Christian Pulisic over the October international break as the player is set to undergo more testing for a hamstring injury.
Pulisic was named to the bench against Ecuador on Oct. 10, nursing an ankle injury. The USMNT star came on for 20 minutes and was eventually deemed fit to start against Australia this past Tuesday.
But Pulisic was on the receiving end of a crunching tackle, before being tactically fouled by Australia defender Jason Geria in the first half. Pulisic looked to be in some pain before Mauricio Pochettino immediately substituted him.
Milan are upset primarily because any time Pulisic misses will affect them directly, Gazzetta reported. Pochettino was apprehensive to diagnose the new injury after the match: “He felt something in his hamstring. Tomorrow, he will fly to Italy. Tonight, we will assess. We cannot say anything at the moment.”
The Rossoneri aren’t the first club to voice their displeasure with a national team in recent months. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick called out Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal back in September after the 18-year-old was sidelined for multiple games with a groin injury.
How Many Games Will Pulisic Miss for AC Milan?
Assessing how many games Pulisic will miss remains speculatory until Milan reveal the severity of the injury. Though, the sight of Pulisic heading straight to the locker room after coming off paints a worrying picture.
The 27-year-old has proven to be more durable in Rossoneri colors, missing just eight games for club and country last season, compared to his time at Chelsea. Hamstring injuries can vary in terms of recovering depending on the severity.
The USMNT star was named Serie A Player of the Month in September and has bagged six goals and two assists so far across all competitions. In September alone, he had five goal contributions in Italy’s top flight. Three-to-four weeks on the sidelines have been speculated, which could see Pulisic miss crucial clashes against Atalanta and Roma.
Milan are also waiting for updates regarding Pervis Estupiñán, Alexis Saelemaekers and Adrien Rabiot after they also picked up knocks representing their countries over the international break.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as AC Milan ‘Fuming’ With USMNT’s Handling of Christian Pulisic—Report.