Pulisic Reflects on 'Difficult 2026,' Saelemaekers on Milan's Enjoyment vs. Lecce

Christian Pulisic described his 2026 as "very difficult" for both Milan and the USMNT. He recently ended a nine-month goal drought, while Alexis Saelemaekers stated the team "enjoyed themselves" during their match against Lecce.

Following a 2-0 Europa League loss to Benfica and two Serie A draws against Juventus and Lazio, AC Milan showed their determination. They controlled possession and secured a 3-0 win with goals from Pulisic, Adrien Rabiot, and Diego Moreira.

This marked Pulisic's first competitive goal since December 28, 2025, against Hellas Verona, coming after 39 unsuccessful shots on target in Serie A.

Pulisic and Saelemaekers Re-finding Form

Adding to his performance, Pulisic was the only player on the field to exchange passes with every teammate.

“That statistic means I ran too much and now I feel very tired,” Pulisic commented to DAZN Italia with a smile. “It’s fine, though. We played really well as a team. It was a pleasure to work this hard with my teammates.”

Pulisic faced a tough 2026, marked by a lack of goals and recurring injury issues, which also affected him during the World Cup hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

“It was very difficult for me, but also for the team. I’m glad I scored a goal, but now we’ve just got to keep winning.”

While Saelemaekers did not score, he played effectively in a new trequartista role supporting Goncalo Ramos.

“It was quite a difficult week for us, but the fans were always right behind us, so we are happy to get the three points for them today,” the Belgian international told DAZN Italia. “The coach decides where he wants us to play, and the important thing is the team. We all did really well today and also enjoyed ourselves on the pitch. I think those who watched us enjoyed themselves too.”

Ruben Amorim mentioned giving the Milan players "more freedom" for this match. Regarding this shift, Saelemaekers added:

“I think we are players who speak the same football language; we understand each other with just a glance. The coach is trying to transmit his mentality, and everyone who came off the bench gave their contribution too, including Moreira with a great goal.

“This proves there is something really special in this group,” Saelemaekers concluded.