Juventus and AC Milan met in the semi-final of the Supercoppa Italia, played at Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh.
Christian Pulisic was on the scoresheet for AC Milan on Friday and helped his team to a 2-1 win over Juventus in the Supercoppa Italia. The USMNT star returned from injury on time to face his international teammate Weston McKennie, who played for Juventus.
It was Juve who took the lead through youngster Kenan Yildiz at Al-Awwal Park, Saudi Arabia. Pulisic leveled matters from the spot before a Federico Gatti own goal put Milan ahead with just 15 minutes remaining.
Both Pulisic and McKennie started for their respective teams and met on the wing. McKennie was deployed as a makeshift left back for Juventus, while Pulisic operated from the right wing. Milan now advance and will face city rivals Inter Milan in the final.
The Supercoppa is an annual meeting of the top teams in Italy. Since 2023, the winner and runner-up of the Italian championship and the Coppa Italia, the national cup competition, have been shown here.
Why is the Supercoppa Italia played in Saudi Arabia?
Juventus and AC Milan are two of the true giants of European football. Juventus has won more championships than any other Italian team, while AC Milan is the country's most successful team in continental competition. It may seem like a disconnect to see these two teams take the field in Saudi Arabia, but the Supercoppa Italia has long been an international affair.
Since its introduction in 1988, Supercoppa games have been held in the United States, China, Qatar and Libya. The move abroad is nothing new, but it does indicate a growing sporting partnership between Saudi Arabia and Italian football.
This year's edition marks the fifth time that the Supercoppa Italia has been held in Saudi Arabia. The first, in 2019, culminated in Juventus winning over AC Milan, thanks to a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Italian football's top flight, Serie A, signed a five-year deal with the Saudi General Sports Authority (GSA) in a bid to bring more elite sport to the region. In 2023, it was expanded to a four-team tournament, replacing the previous two-team version.
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