Milan needed a moment of clarity, a moment of courage, and above all, a moment of composure, and Christian Pulisic delivered all three. The Derby della Madonnina was billed as a test of resilience, of identity, and of whether the Rossoneri could keep pace with an increasingly ruthless title race. Pulisic ensured the answer was yes — but his night did not end with the winning goal alone. After the match, the American offered a nine-word warning aimed directly at Inter, Juventus, and the rest of Serie A. And his rivals will not enjoy hearing it.
Milan’s victory came not only from Pulisic’s strike but from a united performance that reflected Massimiliano Allegri’s reshaped vision for the team. In a derby thick with tension, symbolism, and consequence, The Red and Blacks found a way to win a match it had no business winning statistically — and that is exactly why the league table suddenly looks different.
Inter started faster and sharper, dictating the early tempo with an attacking rhythm that repeatedly threatened to overwhelm its rival. However, Milan absorbed everything — sometimes desperately, sometimes methodically — and waited. Allegri had chosen his pattern: take the blows, then land one decisive punch. The match leaned heavily toward Inter, but football has a way of bending toward the team that survives longest.
Just before half-time, Pulisic sent the first real reminder of his menace. A burst into space, a diagonal run, and a low strike that skimmed wide. It was Milan’s first true glimpse of how this derby might be decided. And in the second half, it was.
Nine minutes after the restart, Youssouf Fofana dispossessed Hakan Calhanoglu, sparking the counter that changed everything. Alexis Saelemaekers’ miscued shot forced Yann Sommer into an awkward save, and Pulisic — reading the moment earlier than everyone else — attacked the rebound. “This goal means everything to me… I’m really happy to be back on the pitch after last month’s problems,” Pulisic told CBS Golazo afterward.
What did Christian Pulisic say?
Only after the whistle did Pulisic address the larger picture. He was measured, careful not to sound arrogant, but unmistakably firm in his belief that Milan’s ambition is bigger than a derby win. And then came the nine-word message, delivered with quiet conviction: “We always want to be top of the table.”
The meaning was unmistakable: Milan is no longer interested in chasing; it intends to lead. “Big performances like this against big teams helped us a lot… it sends a message to the rest of the league,” he added.
New version of Pulisic — and of Milan
This season, Pulisic’s game has sharpened into something more direct, more decisive. Allegri has stripped away excess tasks and placed him closer to the goal, and the numbers reflect it: every one of his Serie A goals has come from inside 15 yards.
He is shooting more, dribbling less, and making every run count. Massimiliano Allegri’s side, meanwhile, has become a team of extremes — defending deep yet breaking forward with surgical precision, thriving on chaos yet organized in the moments that matter. “Honestly, I can improve even more… I work really hard to get to moments like this,” Pulisic said.
That mindset reflects the team. Milan sits near the top because it refuses to define itself by its weaknesses. When they defend, they defend together. When they counter, they counter with conviction. And when they win, as they did against Inter, they win in ways that shape a season.
