Christian Pulisic insists he had “no intention to cause harm” for the tackle that earned him a red card on teammate Folarin Balogun, who is now suspended, but said: “The most important thing is that Flo can be on the pitch.”
Milan and USMNT star Pulisic discussed FIFA’s decision to suspend compatriot Balogun’s red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing him to play in the World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium.
The Belgian Football Federation appealed, and FIFA’s unprecedented decision was strongly contested by UEFA and FIGC president Giovanni Malago.
Pulisic, Balogun: “The first decision was really too tough”
“Looking back at the foul, there was no intention to cause any harm. I’ve seen worse challenges in this World Cup. It was a very tough card,” Pulisic told Gazzetta.
“We didn’t come here to complain or stir up controversy. We’ve tried to act professionally and I think good things will happen in the end.”
“I can’t comment on whether justice was served or not, or comment on this controversy, but I think a lot of people might think that the original decision was really too harsh.
“We appealed because we thought there was a very good chance it would be accepted and the most important thing now is that Flo can be on the pitch.
“He (Balogun) always presents solutions and makes everything simple,” Pulisic continued.
“He is our top scorer, but we were also prepared to play without him. We have prepared for every scenario. Belgium are very strong, but we are not going to change our style of play. We want to remain aggressive and stay true to our identity. We know that even if we play against the best national team in the world, we can compete and even dominate certain moments of the match.”
Gazzetta asked the Milan star if the next game against Belgium was the most important game of his career.
“It depends on how you look at it…I’ve been to the Champions League final, but with the national team it’s a tremendous challenge,” he replied.
“Every year, I feel our movement is growing. Having the World Cup in the United States has helped many people truly understand what this sport represents around the world, and it has made many people even more passionate about this sport.”
A lot has changed for Milan since Pulisic joined the USMNT for the World Cup this summer.
The Rossoneri have appointed former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim as their new head coach, while Portugal international Gonzalo Ramos has completed a club-record €70 million move from PSG.
Asked if he was happy with Milan’s recent signings, Pulisic admitted: “Yes, that’s true, but right now there’s only the World Cup. I mean Belgium…”
