The Leverkusen manager is preparing for Pulisic ahead of Milan's UCL clash with the German side
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Milan to play with Leverkusen TuesdayXabi Alonso praises Pulisic ahead of matchAmerican in fine form with MilanWHAT HAPPENED?
Christian Pulisic's sensational form of scoring in five-straight games for club and country has Xabi Alonso preparing for the American – and those around him – ahead of his side's clash with the USMNT star on Tuesday.
On Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League campaign, AC Milan travel to Germany to take on reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, and Alonso has high praise for Pulisic.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT ALONSO SAID
“He’s in very good form, he’s an important player for Milan because he has a huge impact on the team," Alonso said of Pulisic. "He gets between the lines, he’s fast, but I can’t just focus on him, I’m also thinking about people like [Rafael] Leão or [Álvaro] Morata.”
“We will have to be focused throughout the match," Alonso added. "We don’t want to let them dominate the game, they are good at counterattacking. In the last match they scored three goals in five minutes… That’s Milan, with all their great players. They have speed and quality, for us it will be a great match but in the Champions League all the opponents are of a great level.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Pulisic is the lone member of the to bag a goal in the UCL this season, and his shooting boots have carried over since. Their leading scorer so far this campaign, Paulo Fonseca has turned the American into an integral part of his attack in both an attacking midfield and winger role.
In total, he has five goals and two assists in just seven games for Milan across all competitions so far this season.
In the 2023-24 edition of the UCL, Pulisic scored one goal and recorded one assist during the 's entire campaign. With a strike already checked off his list, he'll look to add on to it Tuesday while surpassing last year's totals.
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?
Tuesday's match kicks off at 3 p.m. ET, with Pulisic and Milan searching for their first victory of the UCL campaign after a disappointing showing in a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on Sept. 17.
Pulisic, meanwhile, will be looking to make it six-straight games with a goal for both club and country when he takes the pitch against the reigning Bundesliga champions.