Milan's Penalty Plunge: Pulisic's Miss Casts a Shadow Over Serie A's Rossoneri
7 October 2025
Match context and the penalty miss
Christian Pulisic, Milan's American star, was not at his best in the clash with Juventus at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, the sixth round of Serie A. Pulisic failed to convert a penalty won by his teammate Santiago Gimenez; the Milan winger blasted the kick over the bar, denying Milan a chance to take the lead.
The match finished 0-0, leaving both sides disappointed in what had been billed as a marquee encounter in Italy's top flight.
Wider implications and penalty statistics
The miss highlighted Milan's ongoing penalty problem. Since the start of 2024, the club has failed to convert more than half of its penalties in Serie A. Pulisic, who had an almost perfect penalty record before joining Milan, has now missed two penalties.
Other notable misses include a 2-1 defeat to Torino in February 2025 and a goalless draw with Juventus. In the last 13 penalties awarded to Milan since 2024, seven were missed, with the last five misses coming from four different players.
Earlier setbacks include a 2-1 loss to Fiorentina last year, when a rival saved two spot kicks taken by Theo Hernandez and Tammy Abraham, despite Pulisic's presence. There was also a missed penalty by Santiago Gimenez against Napoli, saved by Alex Meret, in a 2-1 defeat.
Across Milan's last five missed penalties, the team has earned only one point, underscoring the direct impact on results and the need to improve from the spot.
Coach's response and future takers
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri attempted to deflect the sting of the miss, noting that penalties can be missed and that the team produced a balanced first half and faced a compact Juventus defense. He added that Pulisic remains the primary taker and that the club must decide who can take penalties when he is not on the pitch.
Punchline 1: If penalties were a mood ring, Milan would be stuck on the crossbar, forever changing color but never changing the target.
Punchline 2: Maybe Milan needs a penalty consultant who can actually locate the goal on the map—preferably with a built-in GPS for the ball.
