Amorim: Pulisic is ‘upset’, Gattuso an ‘example’ for Milan

MILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 28: Ruben Amorim, Head Coach of AC Milan, reacts during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Venezia FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 28, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Ruben Amorim admits Christian Pulisic is ‘upset’ but the USMNT star will get minutes against Lazio tomorrow and describes Gennaro Gattuso as an ‘example’ for his Milan side: ‘We’ve missed that passion in recent years.’

Milan coach Amorim previewed Saturday’s Serie A clash against Lazio at a press conference on Friday.

“Lazio are a team that has a lot of pace. They are very aggressive, with a clear identity,” Amorim said.

“They build up with four players, three midfielders. Frattesi was a very good signing, giving him a lot of progress in the last third. Two wingers really good on the ball, and they have a new striker. They are comfortable, three wins. They lost in the cup, then started the season so strongly. Football is funny that way.”

The Biancocelesti have grabbed three wins from their opening three Serie A matches.

“Gattuso is a Milan legend, and I think it’s an image that is really important for our team right now,” Amorim continued.

“Talent is not everything. The passion that he had playing football, the aggression, is something we need to replicate in the way we play. Sometimes, more than talent, what we’ve missed in recent years is that passion. It’s a very good example for our team and our moment.”

USMNT star Pulisic hasn’t yet played a minute in competitive games this season, but Amorim said he’ll return to action tomorrow, although it’s still not clear whether he’ll start.

“I think you guys will see Pulisic; I don’t know if he starts or gets on the pitch [from the bench]. I think he’s going to play at least a few minutes now and I like Pulisic,” Amorim said.

“Pulisic is upset at the moment because he has zero minutes, and I love that. I love that in my players. But he’s ready to play. Don’t forget he had an injury, then a knock in the first training, so he stopped and returned.

“It doesn’t matter if you are a top player. I don’t take [out] guys who are doing well to include any player in the world. That is my way of living, and this is the way I’m going to die or finish my career.

“Pulisic is very important for us. After the break, we’ll have eight weeks with three games per week. I think they are going to be tired of playing, so there’ll be time for everyone. Pulisic is very important for us and is going to play a lot of games, but you need to understand the context and history and why I do things the way I do. You’ll see him this weekend; you won’t miss him a lot.

“I won’t say who will play. Pulisic is training well; Cissé is doing so well. Hutchinson is getting in shape. In the last three games, the substitutes who came on changed the game. We are going to be a strong team.”

Amorim will stick to a 3-4-2-1 system, but the Rossoneri boss still hasn’t identified his starting attacking midfielders.

“Rabiot is more box-to-box, he’s not accustomed to play between the lines, it’s more facing the game, but is very good near the box,” he said.

“He can score and in some games you want that in the team. Loftus-Cheek is right-footed, but can play there. He can be more aggressive, be in the game for 90 minutes and not just five minutes and then disappear and then return. Cissé has very good characteristics to play there, but also Pulisic, who is right-footed and can do really well between the lines.”

A reporter asked Amorim whether Luka Modric doesn’t quite allow the Rossoneri to press opponents continuously, and Amorim seemed to agree.

“Sometimes he doesn’t have the ability to press in every play. But then there’s the other side, which is that he controls the tempo of the game really well,” said the Milan coach.

“If there’s something this team needs, it’s to understand how to play with the ball. Right now, he understands better than the others. As a manager, I must choose what I want more from the team. Sometimes we miss a bit under pressure, but on the ball we have more control. My message to the team is: if we have to miss something, it has to be without the ball; with the ball, we need to be good or very good.

“We should improve in every training session. I expect my players to understand that if something goes wrong, we take the information and put it into a training session,” Amorim continued.

“I think we’ll improve, but we must wait until tomorrow. What I don’t want my players to forget is the responsibility of playing for Milan. We need to win, but also to understand that we are building something, so we need time for that. My focus is that we need to win. It’s the only thing that matters.”

Milan will jump to the top of the table if they beat Lazio tomorrow, as Inter and Roma will play on Monday, but Amorim isn’t really focused on the Serie A table right now.

“The table doesn’t matter now. I’m not even looking at the table. I know Lazio have nine points because I focus a lot on Lazio, but at this moment it doesn’t matter,” Amorim concluded.

• MORE FROM AMORIM’S PRESS CONFERENCE – Amorim says Cissé ‘ready’ for Italy, jokes about Man Utd criticism: ‘More is impossible’