Christian Pulisic Left On Bench To Start Champions League Final

An American is guaranteed to win the men’s UEFA Champions League for the first time ever on Saturday, but they won’t do it as starters. Both Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen were left on the bench to start the match between Chelsea and Manchester City, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET from Portugal.

Is Pulisic Starting Champions League Final?

No, he’s on the bench.

Champions League Final Starting Lineups

Team news is in! #UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/BrKdO0jdId

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2021

Here we go

XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Gundogan, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden

SUBS | Steffen, Carson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Laporte, Rodrigo, Torres, Mendy, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Garcia

⚽️ #UCLFinal
#ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/APXPDXtXTk

— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 29, 2021

While Steffen’s place on the bench was no surprise — Ederson is the clear No. 1 goalkeeper — it has to be disappointing for Pulisic to miss out on a start in the biggest game of his career. He had started seven of the last eight Premier League matches to end the season and scored in the first leg and assisted in the second leg of the semifinals against Real Madrid. 

American fans will hope Pulisic is able to enter the match as a substitute, though few USMNT supporters are holding out hope for Steffen to get into the game. That said, you never know what might happen in the biggest club game of the year with all of the world watching.

For more on the Champions League Final, here’s a preview, how to watch and our staff predictions (including one savant who predicted neither Steffen nor Pulisic would start the game).

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