While you're reading these lines, Santiago Gimenez, along with all his teammates, will have already treaded the training fields of Milanello under the watchful eye of Massimiliano Allegri.
The Livorno-born coach met the Mexican striker in person a couple of days ago, as Gimenez returned from an extended vacation following his involvement with the Mexican national team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament Mexico won, though Santi didn’t play a starring role.
The past few months have been quite unusual for Gimenez: a move to Milan that he strongly pushed for (the Rossoneri had already targeted him the previous summer), elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Feyenoord, and a turbulent period due to the atmosphere around the club and a grumbling Conceição, complaining like a kettle about to boil, on top of some physical issues that affected his form. All of this meant that his first six months under the Madonnina weren’t as satisfying as expected. Nothing terribly negative, Santi did score a few goals (six, to be exact), but it’s clear that both he and those around him have higher expectations.
By the way, for Milan fans based in Poland, casino nv offers an interesting online gambling experience since its launch, featuring a wide array of games from providers like 1x2gaming and Amatic and much more. The platform supports popular payment methods such as Visa, and even cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and it boasts a solid 9.29 overall rating. Licensed by the Curacao Gaming Control Board, it provides live chat support and attractive bonuses, making it a convenient option for fans looking to enjoy some entertainment.
Just days after taking office as sporting director, Igli Tare held a press conference at Casa Milan where he addressed his plans, based on Allegri’s input, regarding the striker:
“As for the centre-forward position, we’re looking for another player to compete with Gimenez, who I believe is a great talent but had a typical Italian adjustment period coming from a very different style of football like the Dutch one. We have full confidence in him, but we also need to intervene again in that role. We’re taking the necessary time to understand the shape the team will take, but we’re very clear about the kind of player we’re looking for, someone with the characteristics of a true striker who can make the difference inside the box. That’s what we’ve been missing since Giroud left.”
It’s not exactly ideal for the newly appointed sporting director to announce that the club needs a new striker, but Gimenez is not someone who gets discouraged easily. He had been dreaming of Milan for a long time and won’t let the opportunity slip away after just six months of ups and downs due to a natural adjustment phase in a new country, a new league, and a team that, objectively speaking, lacked clear direction and identity.
'El Bebote', during his vacation with his family (to whom he’s extremely close, his parents, sisters, and wife Fernanda), spent time keeping in shape and training both on the pitch and with personal trainers to improve his technique and posture.
A few weeks ago, his father, Christian "El Chaco" Gimenez, gave an interview to Esto in which he discussed his son’s early months in a Milan shirt:
“Yes, it was surprising. One of the people who pushed the hardest for Santi’s arrival was Ibrahimovic, we’ll be forever grateful to him. One of the responsibilities we have,I say we because I’m his father, but also Santi, is to repay the faith Zlatan showed by bringing us to Milan. We hope things go well and that Santi can stay in Milan for a long time.”
“I see him doing well, even though the change he had to face hasn’t been easy. Things haven’t gone as he imagined, but he needs to understand that transitioning from one footballing culture to another isn’t easy. Milan is a very competitive team. He needs to recover properly and reflect on everything he’s been through in these past months.”
Santiago Gimenez isn't afraid of competition...
He knows perfectly well that Milan is not a place where players are given much time to settle. He’s always been a goalscorer throughout his career, and he wants to keep doing just that in a Milan shirt, just like he dreamed of as a child. He’ll do everything he can to convince Allegri: he believes he’s the right man. And it all begins now…
