Christian Pulisic delivered a performance of rare authority as AC Milan swept aside Udinese 3-0 on Saturday evening at Bluenergy Stadium, staking an early claim as Serie A’s most transformative new arrival. In a contest billed as a litmus test for both sides’ ambitions, it was Pulisic who set the tone and, ultimately, the margin with two clinically taken goals and a relentless work rate that left Udinese chasing shadows.

Milan entered the match riding a wave of confidence—three consecutive victories since their opening-day stumble—and their discipline was on display from the opening whistle. The first half saw Udinese probe Milan’s lines with half-chances from Arthur Ada and Aiker Bravo, but the Rossoneri’s defense, marshaled by a rejuvenated midfield duo, kept the hosts at arm’s length.

The breakthrough arrived in the 40th minute. Pulisic, already a constant threat, drifted into space inside the penalty area and finished coolly with his left foot, notching his second league goal of the season and silencing the home crowd. The move was emblematic of Milan’s confidence: quick passing, intelligent movement, and a cutting edge that Udinese simply could not match.

If the first half ended in frustration for the hosts, the second began with a hammer blow. Youssouf Fofana doubled Milan’s lead less than a minute after the restart, surging forward and rifling home from the center of the box after Milan’s high press forced a turnover. Udinese, stunned, struggled to muster a response.

Pulisic wasn’t done. In the 53rd minute, he cut inside from the right and curled a right-footed shot past Sava, sealing both the result and his own status as the game’s standout performer. From that point, Milan managed the contest with a maturity that hinted at larger ambitions. Udinese, for all their substitutions and late efforts, never looked likely to breach Milan’s rearguard, who celebrated a third consecutive clean sheet.

The implications are immediate and tantalizing: Pulisic’s seamless adaptation to Serie A, combined with Milan’s newfound defensive steel, signals a potential changing of the guard. The American’s dynamism and composure have given Milan an attacking unpredictability they have recently lacked, and with sterner tests ahead—including next week’s clash against Napoli—Pulisic’s star is only just beginning to rise in Italy.

For Udinese, the defeat extends a troubling winless home run, but the real story is the emergence of a new Milan talisman—one whose impact may reverberate across the league this season.