Onana abysmal & Mazraoui miserable in Man Utd no-show

PSG beware! Foden, Doku & more run riot in City romp

Why is Chelsea's season suddenly falling apart?!

Culture & Clobber: Jude's new look, gold Zidane Preds & more

Nunez CAN score goals! Huge late drama as Liverpool march on

Guardiola split with wife Cristina Serra after 'tense' dinner

Walker & Kilner could 'live in €20k-a-night hotel' in Milan

Neymar hits back at Rivaldo's savage World Cup claim

Pochettino opens door for Messi's sons to represent USMNT

Where did Lewandowski go? Barca's attack misfires at Getafe

The real Mbappe has arrived! Double helps send Madrid top

Endrick dedicates goals to team-mate that 'never praises me'

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Portuguese forward starring for Rossoneri</li><li>Needs more support from those around him</li><li>Enigmatic Italian planning future Saudi switch</li></ul>

Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah & AC Milan new boys set Rafael Leao challenge by Mario Balotelli as former Rossoneri striker offers his services to Serie A giants

Champions League

AC Milan

Girona

Friendlies

Costa Rica

The Rossoneri, who savoured Serie A title glory in 2021-22, have become heavily reliant on their talismanic Portuguese forward. Efforts have been made to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/christian-pulisic-dutch-italian-still-be-at-chelsea-usmnt-stars-england-good-every-day-man-utd-everton-tim-howard/blt5e0e72c2ac4a09b9" target="_blank">bring in creativity and firepowe</a>r alongside him – with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/make-mistakes-christian-pulisic-advised-thierry-henry-replicate-usmnt-form-ac-milan/bltc441eb20d582ff78" target="_blank">USMNT stars Pulisic</a> and Musah acquired in the last transfer window – but big-money signings are <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/tough-italy-yunus-musah-admission-20m-transfer-ac-milan-usmnt/bltae31a19bfac45ab4" target="_blank">still finding their feet</a>.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Ex-Milan striker Balotelli has told <a href="https://www.tvplay.it/2023/09/26/balotelli-al-milan-serve-un-vice-giroud-eccomi-vedere-questa-juve-fa-male-al-cuore/ " target="_blank">TVPlay</a> of the issues at San Siro: “I like [Stefano] Pioli, but if Leao isn’t good Milan do very little. If Leao has a bad day, it’s difficult for Milan to win.” Pulisic has registered two Serie A goals for Milan, while also being <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/dropped-usmnt-christian-pulisic-benched-ac-milan-champions-league-newcastle/bltcbe41e38431eaa54" target="_blank">dropped in the Champions League</a>, while fellow United States international Musah is being asked to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/yunus-musah-wing-back-usmnt-midfielder-reacts-unfamiliar-position-ac-milan/blt5dd7c06b988173e1" target="_blank">fill an unfamiliar wing-back role</a>.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Milan are considered to be alarmingly short in the striker department, with 36-year-old Olivier Giroud leading the way, and Balotelli has jokingly offered up his services having previously taken in two spells with the club. He added: “Here I am. Milan’s problem is that the young players you sign then have to deal with San Siro, which is not a stadium like any other, you need players with personality.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Enigmatic Italy international Balotelli is now 33 years of age himself and is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/mario-balotelli-what-happened-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/bltcdabaf1c326fd3d3" target="_blank">currently back in Turkey with Adana Demirspor</a> as his nomadic career continues. There will be at least one more adventure left him, with the ex-Liverpool and Inter frontman saying when asked if he could join the mass exodus of players leaving Europe for Saudi Arabia: “If the project works, I too will go in a few years.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah & AC Milan new boys set Rafael Leao challenge by Mario Balotelli as former Rossoneri striker offers his services to Serie A giants | Goal.com

Mario Balotelli says new recruits at AC Milan, such as Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, need to do more to support the efforts of Rafael Leao.

Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah &amp; AC Milan new boys set Rafael Leao challenge by Mario Balotelli as former Rossoneri striker offers his services to Serie A giants