That’s the paradox: cold-blooded strikers are here to set San Siro ablaze. Santiago Gimenez and Joao Felix arrived two days ago and found half the city—the Rossoneri half—recovering from a deep freeze. Milan is 19 points behind Napoli, its fans have been protesting for months, and last weekend’s derby delivered an icy shower just two minutes before the break. It doesn’t get much worse than that. And yet, something is stirring. Yesterday, Milan felt like spring. The Rossoneri faithful are fired up by the club’s most dazzling winter transfer window in years—or at least since 2020, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Simon Kjaer arrived to patch things up. Tonight, they will pack San Siro, eager for something new. As of Tuesday night, 55,000 fans are expected for the Roma match. In the last 48 hours alone, 7,500 tickets have been sold—largely thanks to the two new arrivals. Considering the weather forecast calls for 2°C at the Meazza and at least 22°C under a blanket at home, that’s quite impressive, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition.
What's there to know about Milan's Santiago Gimenez?
Milan fans are still figuring them out. This unusual duo—a Mexican and a Portuguese—remains a mystery, but one thing is clear: they are ice-cold. In his first press conference, Gimenez was as composed as a glacier, and not just because of his light eyes. His responses were quick—execution speed—and as precise as he is in the box. His key statements: “I can promise I will give everything. We can win a lot. Playing for Milan was a dream, and I am here because God wanted it. Number 7? It has many meanings; Shevchenko wore it, and in the Bible, it’s the perfect number.” An Argentine journalist remarked, “He didn’t get a single answer wrong.” True—because he didn’t take any risks. On the pitch, he’s the same. He’s not Garrincha or Denilson, but he scores in every way possible: with his feet, his head, inside the box, attacking the space. That’s all Milan needs.
Joao Felix and Milan legend Kaka?
Joao Felix, on the other hand, is a different kind of cold—elegant. Sharp features, a slender frame, a style of play that never feels excessive because he knows he can do it all. Even playing with his dachshund, Floki, he exudes grace. Joao has always idolized Kaka, and it shows. Ricky was three times the player, but some elements of his style have carried over. Joao can seem harmless, even absent-minded, but then he switches on and changes everything—a through ball, a stepover, an outside-of-the-foot pass. His most thrilling move? Probably the chip—whether a dink, a lob, or a panenka, he’s got it in his locker.
How will they play at Milan?
Tonight, Gimenez and Joao Felix will start on the bench—they just arrived, and JF isn’t fully fit—but soon they’ll be on the pitch together. Santiago will wear 7, Joao 79. Milan signed Joao Felix primarily as an attacking midfielder or second striker, though he often drifts left. Essentially, he’s a wildcard in the final third. Gimenez, on the other hand, does one thing—but it’s exactly what Milan needs: he’s a pure center-forward. The two can easily play together in a two-striker system: Santiago in the box, Joao just behind, feeding him passes. There are, of course, tactical variations: Joao Felix as a number 10 in a 4-2-3-1 (the most intriguing option for now), Joao on the left in a front three if Leao needs rest, or even Joao on the right—less likely but still a valid option.
Their numbers:
The stats speak for themselves. Gimenez has scored a goal every 76 minutes this season at Feyenoord—remarkable. In the current Champions League, he’s the most efficient striker per minutes per goal (one per hour), conversion rate (63%), and touches per goal (just 17)—a sign that he wastes no time. “He has the hunger for goals, like Camarda,” Ibrahimovic said yesterday. “You either have it, or you don’t. Santiago will find a very strong Milan, with many players who can provide him assists: Leao, Pulisic, Reijnders, Fofana, Walker—even Maignan. I’m telling you, we’ll win with Feyenoord, and he’ll score in Rotterdam.”
Joao Felix is less clinical but has the quality of a champion and a useful knack for scoring: he netted 10 goals for Barcelona last season and had already scored 7 in around 950 minutes with Chelsea this season. Not bad for a creative attacking midfielder.
The feeling is that they’ll work like certain groups of friends—different, but that’s what makes them fun together. Beyond the red and black jersey, they share a passion for video games.
Tonight, at 9 PM, San Siro presses play. Enjoy the show.
