Massimiliano Allegri says Christian Pulisic is suffering mentally from a long goal drought after AC Milan’s goalless draw with Juventus at San Siro. The result kept Milan three points ahead of Juventus in the Serie A table, but also extended worrying attacking problems for both clubs in the Champions League qualification race.

Pulisic again started for Milan yet did not manage a single attempt on goal and touched the ball only once inside the Juventus penalty area. The United States international also failed to create any chances for team-mates, adding pressure during what is now the longest barren spell of Pulisic’s career in Europe’s major leagues.

The forward has now gone 16 straight Serie A matches without scoring, matching a previous dry spell with Chelsea between October 2022 and May 2023 in the Premier League. Allegri highlighted how the current tactical setup, without a recognised striker, affects Pulisic’s influence and leaves Milan searching for better balance in the final third.

“Christian is a very sensitive man, and this drought is hitting him harder, Allegri told DAZN Italia. He is also someone who struggles more with the physicality of duels and the lack of a centre-forward, but I must try to give a balance to this team, as we have an objective to achieve. I realise he is not entirely suited to this. I had asked him to play centre-right tonight and [Rafael] Leao centre-left, so we were without a centre-forward. Rest assured, by the end of the season, Pulisic will have given his contribution.”

The meeting between AC Milan and Juventus produced few clear chances despite high stakes for both sides. Khephren Thuram had a first-half finish ruled out, while Alexis Saelemaekers struck the crossbar after the break. Apart from those moments, defences controlled most phases, with both teams struggling to convert possession into consistent pressure.

That cautious draw left Milan six points ahead of fifth-placed Como, keeping the club in a strong position for Champions League qualification. Juventus stayed close behind in fourth, but the result arguably favoured Milan more, as Allegri stressed the importance of each point while the season moves towards its decisive weeks.

AC Milan, Christian Pulisic and Juventus: recent Serie A form and numbers

Milan’s attacking output has dipped sharply in recent weeks. The team has failed to score in back-to-back Serie A home matches for the first time since October and November 2024. Across the last four league fixtures, Milan have drawn a blank three times, matching the total from their previous 35 games in the competition.

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The wider form guide underlines that drop. Milan have won only two of their last six Serie A outings, even though defensive organisation remains solid. Allegri, however, underlined that the squad is now just two victories away from mathematically sealing the season’s primary target, which keeps internal pressure relatively controlled despite the lack of goals.

“It was a very balanced, tactical game, with a great deal at stake. We had a couple of situations, as did Juventus, Allegri said. Juve have a lot of strength in depth with players who can come off the bench and take men on down the wings, but my lads defended very well, apart from one cross that [Jonathan] David didn’t get his head to. We can be content with the point, as it allows us to take another small step forward. We are mathematically now just six points away from securing our target, so that means winning two games. The draw was the right result; these are balanced matches where an incident can change the game, and it was a fair result.”

The draw with Juventus extended Milan’s recent run of low-scoring matches, but also strengthened their grip on a top-four place. Allegri’s remarks showed support for Christian Pulisic while acknowledging tactical compromises, and the coach stressed that even narrow progress in the table remains valuable as Milan push to secure Champions League football.