For USMNT fans, this season’s Europa League was always going to be more intriguing than Champions League. There is a huge collection of Americans in Europa League, including several prominent players. In fact, that’s what makes Thursday’s game between Bournemouth and AC Milan a must-see game for USMNT fans.
With Tyler Adams playing for Bournemouth and both Cristian Pulisic and Yunus Musah at AC Milan, this might be the most important match of the Europa League league phase, at least from an American perspective. To prep for the game, here are some things to watch closely.
Red-hot cherries
While the Premier League results have been far from ideal, Bournemouth’s first foray into European football has been a smashing success. The Cherries have beaten both Real Sociedad and Sturm Graz, putting them among the 10 teams in Europa League with two wins in two games. Obviously, AC Milan figures to be Bournemouth’s toughest European opponent to date. But the Cherries will be confident of getting a result, especially at home, as the fanbase is loving being part of a European competition.
Tyler Adams at his best
Adams is a virtual lock for the Bournemouth starting lineup, and now is a great time for fans to see him play, especially in a high-profile European game. The new USMNT captain was excellent in the two games he started during the recent international window, and that form has continued in recent wins over Sturm Graz and Sunderland. Playing AC Milan will be a new challenge for him, but Adams looks up for it.
Will Christian Pulisic play?
While things are going well for Adams, the same can’t be said for his longtime USMNT teammate. Pulisic has already endured a rollercoaster season in Italy, and the season is barely two months old. After finally getting off the bench, Pulisic’s been underwhelming in his last two Serie A starts, as his stock with Ruben Amorim could be dropping. Also, Pulisic came off the bench in last week’s Europa League game, with Milan rotating the squad. That raises the question of whether Pulisic will start on Thursday, and whether Amorim trusts him enough right now to bring him off the bench if Milan needs a goal.
Tyler Adams spoke about facing USMNT teammates Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah when Bournemouth host AC Milan tomorrow 🗣️
— GOLZ (@golz_tv) October 22, 2026
“What’s weird is it's not Christian's first time in Bournemouth,” Adams told Men in Blazers.
“He visited me for Christmas one of the first years that I… pic.twitter.com/drB0Axmg4I
The real Yunus Musah
There’s no sugar-coating the fact that Musah was one of the more disappointing players during the recent international break. However, USMNT fans should know that’s in stark contrast to his current form with AC Milan. He’s been a key figure in the midfield all season, playing in a role where he’s set up to succeed, which hasn’t always been the case with Mauricio Pochettino. The caveat is that Milan could rotate its squad for Thursday’s game, putting Musah on the bench. But if he plays, it’ll be a chance for USMNT fans to be reminded of what Musah brings to the table and why he should still be in the national team picture.
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