Pulisic Continues Modified Training as U.S. Team Prepares for Australia Match

Christian Pulisic has trained separately from the rest of the United States men’s national team all week after aggravating a calf injury. m. ET on Friday in Seattle. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters at a pre-match press conference on Thursday that Pulisic had been working individually.

“I think as you know he was training individually all week,” Pochettino said. U.S. team’s 4-1 win over Paraguay. Since then he has followed a “modified training program” set by US Soccer.

At the team’s base in Irvine, California, Pulisic worked in an auxiliary gym on Monday and Tuesday rather than with the full squad. On Wednesday he appeared on the field for ball drills with trainers. After the team arrived in Seattle, he trained apart again on Thursday at the University of Washington soccer complex.

Pulisic was briefly visible during a pre-session huddle wearing a wrap on his left calf before moving into a training facility with performance staff and remaining out of view for the rest of the open session. Pochettino said a medical meeting would take place Thursday night or the day before the match.

“Like always, I think tonight or the day before the game we have a meeting with our medical area, we will assess the whole group, and tomorrow we will communicate if we agree on something tonight,” he said.

Teammates expressed hope earlier in the week. ” Tim Weah said Tuesday he believed Pulisic would be ready, and Tyler Adams told reporters on Monday that Pulisic would be fine. Pochettino noted the difficulty of the situation.

“When this type of thing happens it’s always painful,” he said. ” The Guardian reported the details of Pulisic’s training schedule and Pochettino’s remarks.