Why is Christian Pulisic not starting for Milan vs Ferencvaros in 2026-27 UEFA Europa League?
Christian Pulisic made a decisive contribution to Milan’s impressive derby victory over Inter, but his performance has not guaranteed him another starting appearance in the club’s next European fixture. As Ruben Amorim prepares his team for a crucial UEFA Europa League meeting with Ferencvaros, the Portuguese coach has opted for a different approach to his starting lineup.
The Rossoneri return to San Siro on Thursday, November 5, encouraged by their 3-1 win over their city rivals. However, the team still has considerable work to do in Europe, while its Hungarian opponent arrives with a perfect record after winning their opening three league-phase matches.
Milan enjoyed an excellent evening against Inter, claiming a 3-1 victory in the Derby della Madonnina. Pulisic opened the scoring, before Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira added to the advantage and helped Amorim’s side secure another important result against their city rivals.
However, the Rossoneri have struggled to reproduce that form in the Europa League. Defeats against Benfica and Bournemouth, with a 4-0 victory over Salzburg in between, have left the Italian side with just three points from their first three matches.
That return places Milan 24th in the league-phase standings, currently occupying the final play-off position. With five fixtures remaining, Amorim needs his players to deliver more consistent performances to avoid making their route towards the knockout stages unnecessarily difficult.
Ferencvaros arrives with impressive European record
Ferencvaros present a difficult challenge for Milan, having won all three of their Europa League matches so far. Victories over Celtic, Viktoria Plzen and Torreense have earned Balazs Borbely’s side nine points and a place among the competition’s leading teams, putting them in contention for direct qualification to the last 16.
Their domestic form has also been impressive, with the Hungarian club reportedly going 20 consecutive matches without defeat across all competitions. Kristoffer Zachariassen and Dele Yusuf have been particularly important in attack, while Veljko Birmancevic provides another threat in the final third.
Thursday’s encounter will be the first competitive meeting between Milan and Ferencvaros. The Italian club has faced Hungarian opposition in previous European campaigns, but the two teams have never played each other in a competitive fixture.
Why is Pulisic not starting against Ferencvaros?
Despite scoring against Inter, Pulisic will begin the Ferencvaros match on the bench, with Amorim preparing to rotate his squad following the derby and ahead of Sunday’s domestic trip to Genoa.
Ruben Amorim, Manager of AC Milan, interacts with Christian Pulisic of AC Milan
The decision appears to be tactical rather than related to the American’s performance or fitness. The Red and Blacks coach wants to distribute playing time across his squad, creating opportunities for younger players while preserving some regular starters for the demanding schedule ahead.
According to the official lineup, Omari Hutchinson and Alphadjo Cisse will feature in the wide positions, with Rabiot operating behind Goncalo Ramos. Pulisic is therefore among the experienced players who could be introduced from the bench if the club needs a different attacking dimension during the game. His derby contribution should keep him firmly in Amorim’s plans, even if he does not start this particular European fixture.
