AGE IS JUST A NUMBER: HOW 40-YEAR-OLD LUKA MODRIć SAVED MILAN IN PISA
Luka Modrić makes Serie A history with a late winner vs Pisa! Read the match report, Rabiot’s red card fallout, and Scudetto stats.
Luka Modric called his late winner against Pisa “crucial” for keeping Milan in the Scudetto race. Right after the match, Ruben Loftus-Cheek admitted he’d heard Max Allegri yelling from the sidelines, frustrated and loud as ever.
Honestly, this game in Pisa was way tougher than most people expected. Pisa already gave Milan trouble earlier in the season, earning a wild 2-2 draw at San Siro back in October.
Tonight, Loftus-Cheek got things started, scoring the opening goal. Then Niclas Füllkrug had a golden chance to stretch the lead, but he smacked his penalty off the post so close, but no luck.
Felipe Loyola brought Pisa level, and it looked like Milan might slip up again. But then Modric, somehow still going strong at 40, found another gear. He darted into the box, linked up with Samuele Ricci, and buried the winner.
After the match, Modric told DAZN Italia, “We couldn’t afford to drop points today. We knew how important these three points were if we wanted to keep fighting for the title, and we did it.”
He added, “We got a little too comfortable in the second half and lost focus; that’s when they scored. But we pushed on, attacked, and got the goal we needed. We’re happy with the win.”
Modric also said, “Serie A is tough. Every match is a battle, so we just have to keep working, improving, and focusing on the next one.”
With that goal, Modric became the third-oldest player ever to score in Serie A; only Alessandro Costacurta and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, both Milan legends, did it at an older age.
The Milan fans travelling to Pisa even gave Modric a chant once made famous by Napoli supporters for Diego Maradona. Modric couldn’t hide his grin: “It’s such a privilege to hear them sing for me. Thank you, it makes me really happy.”
As for Loftus-Cheek, he revealed that before his goal, Allegri kept shouting at him to make runs into the box and act more like a striker. “Pisa was so compact, it was hard to find space,” Loftus-Cheek said to DAZN Italia, still smiling. “But when the ball went wide, you could definitely hear him yelling, ‘Get in the box! Attack the box!’ Zack played a great cross, and I got on the end of it. Really happy with that.”
Adrien Rabiot got himself sent off in stoppage time with two yellows, one for a foul and another for arguing too much. Now he’ll miss the matches against Como and Inter.
With the title race heating up, people keep asking: Should Milan chase Inter at the top or just focus on holding onto a top-four spot? Loftus-Cheek kept it simple: “The most important thing is to focus on ourselves. Every game is so tough; you can’t look too far ahead. We have to go one game at a time, because every match is a real fight. If we get distracted by what other teams are doing, it’ll hurt us. We’ll see where we end up.”
PULISIC HITS BACK: MILAN STAR SHUTS DOWN 2026 GOAL DROUGHT CONCERNS
"I haven't stopped dreaming." Christian Pulisic addresses his goal drought and the frustration of missing out on the Gold Cup squad.
Christian Pulisic isn’t holding back. When critics started questioning his recent form and worried about his 2026 goal drought, he shut them down, calling those concerns “bad questions". The AC Milan forward, fresh off his Time magazine cover, still trusts his ability to step up for the USMNT as they gear up to co-host the World Cup.
All eyes are on him.
The U.S. is set to share the stage for the 2026 World Cup, and Pulisic is set to become the go-to guy for the national team. Landing on the cover of Time isn’t something soccer stars from America get every day, and it just shows how big a deal he’s become, especially after proving himself in Europe. But right as people are finally giving him mainstream recognition, he’s under the microscope for not putting up his usual numbers in front of the goal.
He’s not fazed by the dip.
When Time asked about his goal drought and how he’s handling not scoring for club or country this year, Pulisic didn’t mince words; he’s not sweating it. “I plan on scoring goals. Such bad questions. I’m not concerned about it, man.” You can hear the confidence in his voice.
Dealing with the noise
Pulisic admits this stretch feels extra tough. Missing out on last June’s Gold Cup squad hurt him, mostly because he’s used to shutting people up with his play. “Normally, I just go out there and score, and that quiets everybody. Right now, I’m in my offseason, so everyone’s talking, and I can’t do anything about it. That’s what’s frustrating.”
For Pulisic, attacking is everything. “Going at the goal, creating attacks, that’s what I live for. Sure, you have to do all the other stuff: defend, run, whatever. That’s fine. But what really gives me joy is finding ways to score and actually scoring.”
Chasing the dream
The U.S. opens their World Cup run against Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium on June 12, and Pulisic will lead the team right here at home. He doesn’t like making big public predictions, but at 27, he keeps that childhood dream alive. “That’s just not how I work. But I’ll lie in bed and imagine myself holding the World Cup trophy. I did that when I was a kid, and I haven’t stopped. You need to believe. Why not?”
WHY DID LAUTARO MARTINEZ REJECT A CAREER-DEFINING MOVE TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
"I love Milan." Read why 28-year-old Lautaro Martinez rejected Manchester United and Arsenal to stay at the San Siro in 2026.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has clearly put an end to any speculation about leaving San Siro, making it known that he has no plans to entertain offers from Europe’s top clubs. Even with regular links to teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, and Arsenal, the Argentine forward is fully committed to what’s happening in Milan.
Martinez has been quite vocal about his dedication to Inter amid constant rumours about his future. Despite frequent connections to some of the biggest clubs on the continent, he insists there’s no reason for him to move on from the current Serie A champions.
Media reports have often tied him to Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, and Manchester United. But through various transfer windows, Martinez has consistently pushed back on the idea of leaving Inter. At 28, he remains a key figure in the team’s current setup and has stepped up as the club’s captain and on-field leader.
In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Martinez expressed his loyalty to Inter’s project. He made it clear that he isn’t interested in changing clubs despite the speculation.
He said, “No, because I am faithful to the Inter project, I feel at home here. My family is happy, we have a restaurant in the city, and we love Milan. From the first day, everyone treated me in a way I didn’t think possible. I achieved so many personal and team goals here.”
Success on the pitch seems to deepen his connection to the club. Inter recently secured another league title and continues to chase trophies, including the Coppa Italia. On an individual level, Martinez is eyeing the Capocannoniere prize as Serie A’s top scorer. His steady performances underline why he’s considered one of the most reliable forwards in European football.
Since his move from Racing Club in 2018, Martinez has become the defining presence in Inter’s modern lineup. With 173 goals over 372 competitive games, it’s clear how vital he is to the team.
Looking ahead, the club sees Martinez as a central piece in their long-term plans. His leadership and scoring ability make him hard to replace. Settled both on and off the field in Milan, he seems set on continuing his story at the Giuseppe Meazza, despite ongoing interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
_1777371632.webp)
