Timing is everything: USMNT’s Christian Pulisic, big in big games, catalyzes AC Milan’s Champions League win over Real Madrid

There probably isn’t a more difficult task to solve in club soccer than Real Madrid away. The Spanish giants are the kings of this competition, this past season and seemingly every one that came before it. In these sorts of games, the Real Madrid aura almost always proves too much. At some point, everyone blinks.

Well, not everyone. Christian Pulisic certainly didn’t, and neither did AC Milan. Behind another big-game performance from their American superstar, AC Milan stared down Real Madrid and won Tuesday, making quite a statement in this new-look Champions League group stage.

Pulisic was the catalyst, as he so often is. Behind his early assist, Milan went on to earn a gigantic 3-1 win over the reigning champions, making one hell of a statement after a tepid start to the Champions League campaign. Entering this game, Milan felt like they were teetering; now, it seems they might just cruise right on through to the bigger challenges ahead.

With Pulisic in this kind of form, they’ll be ready for any one of those opportunities. The American was fantastic once again, as he has been all season. His goalscoring numbers have slowed down in the recent stretch, but Pulisic is still finding ways to impact and – ultimately – win games, He did it again on Tuesday, directly assisting one Milan goal while kickstarting the sequence for another to help his side earn a victory as important as any this season.

“Amazing result for us,” Pulisic told CBS Sports. “I mean to come here and play is of course not easy [because of] their history in the Champions League. A tough place to come and play, so for us to put on a performance like that and win the game, obviously a really special night for us.”

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    Pulisic’s big night

    It began with a corner kick. Level at 0-0 through the first 12 minutes, the world was just waiting for some more of that Bernabeu magic for which Real Madrid are so famous. That magic was there, but it was Pulisic’s right foot that provided it.

    Often criticized for his set-piece delivery with the USMNT, Pulisic whipped in a corner kick directly to Malick Thiaw, who headed home to make it 1-0. It was the type of goal that was just as much about the pass as the finish. Both were impressive in equal measure.

    After Real Madrid leveled the score via a Vinicius Jr penalty kick, Pulisic helped Milan regain the lead. After playing a one-two with Alvaro Morata, Pulisic dashed past the Madrid defense before sending a pass straight to the feet of Rafael Leao. The Portuguese star saw his shot saved, but Morata was there to clean up and make it 2-1. Tijani Reijnders made it 3-1 in the 73rd and that was that. Milan had won.

    In the end, Pulisic created three chances, had a shot on goal of his own and completed 25 of his 30 passes. His USMNT teammate, Yunus Musah, put in a strong shift, too, completing all but three of his passes while creating two chances, completing all three of his dribbles and winning six duels.

    In the end, though, it was Pulisic who – alongside Leao and Morata – attacked Real Madrid and, for the American, that wasn’t the first time.

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      Real Madrid’s kryptonite

      This wasn’t Pulisic’s first run-in with Real Madrid, and this wasn’t the first time he stood his ground against this generation’s most successful team.

      In the spring of 2021, Pulisic was decisive in Chelsea’s battle with the Spanish giants. In the first leg of the semifinal in Madrid, Pulisic scored in a 1-1 draw, becoming the first American to ever score that late in the competition. In the return leg, he came off the bench as a substitute and teed up Mason Mount’s late goal to make it 2-0, booking Chelsea’s place in the final.

      The Blues, of course, went on to win, topping Manchester City in the finale, and it’s easy to argue that they would never have gotten that far if not for Pulisic’s heroics.

      In those games, Pulisic cemented his status as a big-game player, although some may have forgotten it due to his later years at Chelsea. This season, he’s been out to remind people of how good he can be, particularly when the lights are brightest.
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      Big-game player

      So much has been said about Pulisic’s statistics this season. Five goals and three assists in the league. Now, two goals and an assist in the Champions League.

      It’s not just about the numbers, though – it’s also about timing, and the teams he’s putting them up against. Thus far, Milan have faced several elite-tier teams: Inter, Napoli, Liverpool and Real Madrid. In those games, Pulisic has two goals and an assist, only being blanked by Napoli in Serie A. Pulisic isn’t just running up numbers, but doing so in big, meaningful games at the highest level.

      It’s something he’s done plenty throughout his career. There were the aforementioned performances against Madrid en route to Chelsea’s Champions League title. Going even further back, there were plenty of big moments for Borussia Dortmund where Pulisic broke record after record. For the USMNT, there was the World Cup finish against Iran, the legendary Nations League celebration against Mexico and the stunner to open the Copa America against Bolivia, too.

      Pulisic has proven time and time again that he’s a player for the big moments. He may be quiet off the field but, when called upon against the world’s best, Pulisic’s game speaks pretty loudly.

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      Looking ahead

      With Tuesday’s win, fans in Milan will be exhaling a bit. Entering the visit to Real Madrid, the Rossoneri had collected just three points from three Champions League games. It was getting late early for Milan, and that was before their trip to the Bernabeu.

      They’ll leave Madrid with all three points, though, and, just as importantly, some peace of mind. They didn’t squander another standout Pulisic performance. They didn’t give away another big Champions League match. Heading into the second half of this Champions League group stage, they’re actually in pretty good shape, all things considered.

      “Our coach just said enjoy tonight, we got to rest up tomorrow because we’ve got a big game coming this weekend and if we don’t win that one then this doesn’t mean anything,” Pulisic said. “So were going to try to enjoy as a team tonight have a little celebration, but tomorrow it’s right back to work.”

      There are still games against Slovan Bratislava, Crvena Zvezda, Girona and Dinamo Zagreb, but Milan will likely be favorites in all four of those matches. They’ve played their toughest games and come out in decent shape. The knockout rounds are on the horizon.

      Those matches are where legacies are made, as Pulisic already knows. Right now, it looks as if this Milan team is to have a lasting legacy, it will be because of the American star. He continues to step up and continues to carry this team on his shoulders, particularly in the biggest of games. He did that again on Tuesday against the world’s biggest team – what will he do next?