“The penalty taker is Pulisic, I don’t know why the players changed their minds,” remarked AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca following the penalty fiasco during the 2-1 loss to Fiorentina. Despite his instructions, Christian Pulisic was denied not once but twice the chance to take a penalty by his teammates. While Fonseca’s post-match explanation regarding the incident seemed like he was subtly washing his hands of the drama, it has rather backfired on him, as the coach is now being urged to discipline the players involved.

Sure, a private scolding may do the trick. But Shaka Hislop wouldn’t settle until the former AS Roma boss gave a statement punishment. “This is now on Paulo Fonseca and what happens next,” began the former goalkeeper who now works as a pundit for ESPN FC show. “Because if I’m the AC Milan manager and the players, twice in the same game, disrespect me and my instructions in the way that they did, they are not a part of my next matches.”

Whether it’s an international break or Milan struggling in Serie A, Shaka has urged Fonseca to think more than just one game for the sake of potential future mistakes. The analyst vocally raised fingers at Theo Hernandez, Tammy Abraham, and Fikayo Tomori over the penalty partiality. “They are not a part of my next match. They can feature from there on in. But something has to be said, something has to be done at this point,” concluded Hisop.

One can understand the criticism aimed at Hernandez and Abraham for taking penalty duties away from Pulisic. Tomori’s involvement in this drama you ask? Well, Hislop acknowledged Theo’s eagerness to take the first penalty since it was his birthday, while he found it strange to see Tomori quickly running to grab the ball in a ‘LeBron James-style‘ style before handing it to Abraham.

Hislop also suggested that there was some sort of ‘premeditation‘ in getting the ball into Abraham’s hands, as Tomori acted like a bodyguard to safeguard the striker. While this meant that Pulisic had no chance to ask for the penalty, the USMNT star is still facing criticism!

Christian Pulisic slammed for showing ‘weakness’ over penalty drama at AC Milan

Craig Burley joined the discussion panel alongside Shaka Hislop, claiming that the incident not only demonstrates a lack of respect for Paulo Fonseca’s decision but also highlights a persistent lack of esteem among AC Milan players. However, he quickly began to criticize Christian Pulisic for not asserting himself regarding the penalty.

“How weak are you? I am ripping that ball on the field because that is my job,” said the former Chelsea man. Doubting his lack of fighting spirit, Craig added, “Where’s Christian? Stood in the corner eating his candy!”

Burley stated that unless Pulisic had chosen to give up the responsibility due to feeling unwell, injured, or having a bad game, he should not have passed on the opportunity. He emphasized that if Pulisic was performing well, he should have made an effort to grab the ball. “That’s just disrespect, all the way around, and then weakness from an international footballer.”

Who do you think is at fault in this situation? Also, should Paulo Fonseca punish the players involved? Let us know in the comments.