AC Milan Manager Paulo Fonseca Thanks Mauricio Pochettino
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca has expressed his gratitude towards USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino for releasing Christian Pulisic early from national team duty during the recent international break. Pulisic had played 67 minutes in the USMNT’s 2-0 win over Panama but was released ahead of the subsequent Mexico match, allowing him to return to Milan earlier than expected.
Fonseca appreciated Pochettino’s decision to give Pulisic some rest, especially considering concerns about the player’s recent workload. In a press conference on Friday, Fonseca said:
“Let me thank Pochettino for releasing the player for the second game. It wasn’t a competitive match, and he was sensible enough to make him rest. I liked his attitude.”
Before the Panama match, Pochettino had expressed worries about the number of minutes Pulisic was playing, noting that the player seemed fatigued.
“He’s playing every single game, every single minute. That is also a thing that we are a little bit worried [about]. Sometimes we need to protect [him].”
However, while Fonseca appreciated the early release, he did not fully agree with the assessment of Pulisic’s fatigue. “It’s the start of the season. If he’s tired now, what are we going to think after 20 games?” Fonseca said.
“Christian is in a great moment. He’s probably the most consistent player at the start of the season. It makes no sense to talk about fatigue at this point of the season.”
Despite the decision, some criticism has emerged, with U.S. soccer legends like Alexi Lalas and Tim Howard, as well as former Premier League star Jamie Carragher, questioning the early release of Pulisic from the USMNT camp.
