In recent weeks, USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino voiced concerns over the playing time Christian Pulisic receives at AC Milan. He suggested that the winger’s heavy workload could take a toll on his fitness. However, statistics reveal that these worries may be overblown. In fact, Pulisic is not among the top players in Serie A when it comes to total minutes played. Despite this, Pochettino’s comments have sparked a debate about player fatigue. In addition, about the challenges of balancing club and international duties for top-level athletes.
Pochettino, who was just named manager of the US national soccer team, voiced his displeasure with Christian Pulisic’s playing time. Particularly, as the winger continues to make an impression at AC Milan this season. The 26-year-old forward has been in stellar form, notching six goals and two assists in nine games across all competitions. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the USMNT’s matches, the Argentine manager said that while he was thrilled with Pulisic’s performances. However, he was wary of the potential for overplaying the talented forward.
“He’s playing every single game, every single minute, something that we are a little bit worried about,” Pochettino stated. “Sometimes we need to protect [players] because he arrived a little bit tired. But that’s something I’ve spoken about before, to be in a very good relationship with the club.”
“We see because he arrived a little bit tired. That is a thing that I told him before—to build a very good relationship with the club and try to help. When we really need him, he needs to be in form, happy, strong, and the quality is there because he has an enormous talent.”
Pochettino’s concerns about Pulisic’s workload seem valid at first glance. Yet, the actual data on Pulisic’s minutes played in Serie A paints a less alarming picture. La Gazzetta dello Sport say that Pulisic is not even among the top 20 players in Serie A when it comes to total playing time this season. A vital cog in Milan’s machine, he has yet to play more than 720 minutes. Actually, he has appeared in seven Serie A games and two Champions League contests.
Interestingly though, he is the outfield player with the most minutes in the Rossoneri squad. His total playing time is only marginally higher than that of his teammates Fikayo Tomori and Tijjani Reijnders. Both trail by just six and 16 minutes, respectively. Comparatively, Atalanta midfielder Marten de Roon tops the Serie A minutes chart with 900 minutes played. This highlights that Pulisic is far from the most overworked player in the league.
It’s also important to note that other clubs, like Atalanta and Fiorentina, have played more matches than Milan this season. Particularly, due to their involvement in additional competitions. Atalanta, for instance, competed in the UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Fiorentina participated in a two-legged Conference League play-off, with one of those matches going into extra time and a penalty shootout. These additional fixtures have inflated the total minutes played by some players. It offers further context to the discussion about Pulisic’s playing time.
The crux of Pochettino’s concern lies in balancing Pulisic’s responsibilities between club and country. The winger, currently on international duty with the USMNT, will return to Italy just two days before Milan’s Serie A clash against Udinese.
This short turnaround could affect his performance, and Milan manager Stefano Pioli has expressed similar concerns about the player’s fitness following international duties. Traveling from Mexico to Italy and then immediately preparing for a domestic fixture can take a toll on any player, and both national and club managers are keeping a close eye on Pulisic’s condition.
Nevertheless, the player’s fast start to the season, which includes five goals and two assists in just seven league appearances, underscores his importance to the Italian giants. While the desire of Pochettino to protect Pulisic is understandable, the numbers suggest that Pulisic is not being overworked relative to other players in Serie A.
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