Loris Karius has completed quite the redemption arc. The Schalke goalkeeper produced a Man of the Match performance to help his side shut out Bayern Munich in their first Bundesliga home game since May 2023, securing a memorable point for the newly promoted side.
Serhou Guirassy has wasted no time laying down the gauntlet to Harry Kane. The Borussia Dortmund striker followed up his goal in the opening-day win over Hamburg with another decisive display against Hoffenheim, scoring and providing an assist as his side came from 2-0 down to claim all three points.
Pulisic is still waiting for his first appearance of the 2026-27 season, but an important development away from the pitch could soon provide answers about his long-term future. Christian Pulisic could soon have a clearer idea of where he stands at Milan, with his future at the club becoming one of the most intriguing storylines surrounding the American international. The former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund attacker is still waiting for his first appearance of the 2026-27 season, but an important development away from the pitch could soon provide answers about his long-term future. Pulisic’s immediate focus is on returning to action, with Sunday’s meeting against Juventus potentially offering his first opportunity to make an impact. However, behind the scenes, Milan is preparing for an important conversation that could shape the next stage of the player’s career at San Siro. The 27-year-old has been included in the squad for Milan’s opening two Serie A matches against Torino and Venezia, but he has yet to play a single minute. His absence comes after a difficult summer in which he was forced to deal with a bone oedema at the junction between the tibia and fibula in his right leg. The injury ruled him out of pre-season and forced him to train separately when he returned to Italy on August 2. Although the physical problem has now been resolved, Pulisic is still working his way back to full match fitness after only around a week of team training. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan warms up before the Serie A match. Ruben Amorim made it clear that the American’s current situation is primarily about managing his return rather than questioning his quality. “He has great talent. I simply have to manage my players’ workloads, and I understand that at this moment we need to win and to put more tempo into every match,” Amorim recently told reporters. New attacking hierarchy at Milan Pulisic is expected to be on the bench against Juventus, with a second-half appearance considered the most likely scenario. A starting place is currently out of reach, particularly with Alphadjo Cisse and Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of him in terms of physical condition. Milan is eager to have Pulisic back because his attacking production remains extremely important. With Rafael Leao now gone, Pulisic is the club’s leading player for combined goals and assists, making his return particularly significant as Amorim searches for a new attacking hierarchy. The competition for places has changed considerably, with Milan possessing a mixture of experience, youth, physicality and creativity in the attacking midfield positions. Adrien Rabiot, Cisse, Loftus-Cheek, Diego Moreira and Alexis Saelemaekers all offer different qualities, meaning Pulisic cannot simply expect to walk straight back into the starting XI. Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan celebrates scoring against Hellas Verona with Rafael Leao. The American also endured a complicated summer away from the pitch, with Premier League side Tottenham and MLS side New York City FC reportedly attempting to bring him back to their respective leagues. Milan refused to open the door, however, highlighting how important Pulisic remains to Gerry Cardinale’s sporting and commercial project. Pulisic’s Milan renewal talks get key date That importance will now be tested in the boardroom, with a key meeting between Cardinale and Pulisic’s representatives scheduled for the middle of next week. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Calciomercato.com, the meeting will involve Pulisic’s entourage, including his father and agent. The timing is significant because the winger’s current contract expires in 2027, while Milan has an option that can extend the agreement until 2028. The club is expected to exercise that option, but discussions will also focus on a much longer deal that could keep the American at Milan until 2031. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan looks on The financial side of the negotiations could prove more complicated. La Gazzetta de
Champions Inter and Roma pull off stunning comebacksSchalke 0-0 Bayern Munich; Hoffenheim 2-3 DortmundLautaro Martínez scored in the 91st minute as Inter rallied from two goals down to secure a stunning 3-2 home victory over Napoli, continuing their 100% start to their Serie A title defence.Napoli looked to be on course for victory when Matteo Politano and Rasmus Højlund put them 2-0 up after 53 minutes, but Martínez’s first goal halved the deficit and Marcus Thuram equalised eight minutes from the end. Both sides had excellent chances to win it after that but it was Inter who took theirs when the Argentinian stabbed home the ball at the back post from a corner. Continue reading...
Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso prepare for an intriguing tactical battle in the first Premier League meeting between old friendsControl v chaos. On the one hand, the forces of order, regimented, playing in precise patterns and, on the other, something darker, more visceral, a method that acknowledges the imperfection of the human soul, the unknowability of football in all its randomness; better, that second way says, to attempt to ride the fury than to believe it might be harnessed.When it began, a decade ago, that’s how the Pep Guardiola v Jürgen Klopp rivalry appeared. Apollo v Dionysius. Two fundamentally opposed ways of seeing the world. But in time, the two crept towards each other. Klopp moved away from the heavy metal of his Borussia Dortmund years to something more conservative. Guardiola experimented in multiple directions, slowly abandoning the possession-oriented idealism of his past to something less radical but also less predictable. Continue reading...
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