Santiago Gimenez, after Mexico’s 2-2 draw against South Korea, secured by his beautiful goal in the 94th minute, was interviewed in the mixed zone at the end of the match. His words were reported in a video published by ESPN Mexico.
On the goal and the match:
"All goals, I believe, taste the same, whether in friendlies, in the neighborhood, or in official matches. As forwards, we enjoy scoring because we help the team, and this is a team sport. First of all, I want to congratulate the group that never gave up: South Korea is a World Cup-level opponent, these are very tough matches, and it’s good that we did not lose to them. In the end, I give the glory to God."
On the Asian opponents faced during this break, Gimenez had the following words to say:
"They are tough, they are tough: they will come to hit, to fight, to give everything. We will not relax for even a second, as you know, they have high-level players in attack. We are very confident in what we are as a group and as a team. We trust the coach and the technical staff. We continue with the experience we have gained."
All’s well that ends well, but the happy ending has not yet arrived for Santiago Gimenez. The Rossoneri number seven, in fact, did achieve what he wanted, namely staying at AC Milan, but now he is called to respond on the field and prove that he does deserve Massimiliano Allegri’s trust.
Santiago Gimenez and the AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri:
It was an open secret hinted at in newspapers, but never personally confirmed by the player. It is no mystery that the ex Juventus coach wanted a striker with different characteristics from the Mexican. A certain Dusan Vlahovic, who, at least to the writer, is not that far from the ex-Feyenoord player. Unlike the player, the coach did not get what he asked for.
As he has often done in his career, he will be called to maximize the squad at his disposal, even the players who at first glance may seem less suited to him. A relationship to cultivate over time: who knows if, after the initial distrust, a lasting bond might develop.
The paradox of starting status:
If theory indicates what was written above, practice (the field) says the exact opposite. Santiago Gimenez started the first two league matches and came on in the 17th minute in the Coppa Italia match against SSC Bari. In fact, so far, he has almost always played.
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Against Bologna, he did end up leading the Rossoneri attack. Alongside him, however, it was not USMNT star and ex-Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic but rather Ruben Loftus-Cheek who acted like a very advanced midfielder as Allegri relied on his physicality and ability to make runs forward with the ball. It was an unusual pair that has not delivered positive results together. But it should be remembered that two of the Mexican’s goals were disallowed against Cremonese and Lecce.
The national team complication:
The starting status of this pair (Gimenez and Loftus-Cheek) is another paradox, because they are two of the three players who faced a return journey from overseas, especially Gimenez who returned from America, and worked well to be ready for group training only on Friday, the day before the San Siro match against Vincenzo Italiano's Bologna.
Typically, in the first game after an international break, a different management of the available players is chosen. The offensive emergency, however, forced them to do extra work, as Rafael Leao is returning from injury and Christopher Nkunku's physical condition not yet at an ideal level (although he showed flashes of brilliance if the few minutes he featured in against Bologna). The red-and-blue colors recall good memories for 'El Bebote'.
Bologna in Santiago Gimenez's destiny?
Or that's what we thought... Santiago Gimenez’s only Milan brace came in the last league match played by the Rossoneri against Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna. It was May 9, and a few days later there would be the Coppa Italia final, later lost at the Olimpico stadium. The fans were really hoping that Santiago Gimenez was going to score against Bologna. But instead, he missed important goal-scoring opportunities.
It should be noted, however, that the San Siro venue regained enthusiasm for its long-desired striker in the winter market, after difficult months and offensive competition that had relegated him to the bench. A flash in the Meazza night that remained such. The Bologna team was also keen to make the night as difficult as possible for Allegri’s men. But, it ended in a 1-0 victory thanks to Luka Modric's first goal in Rossonero. But questions remain regarding the Mexican forward...
The father and the approach to the profession:
The most important lesson came from Santi’s father, Christian Gimenez, who spoke about his current situation: "What happened must make him stronger; it must touch Santi’s pride. Milan is an important club and demands a lot. He gave us great calm: he taught us how to behave at his age, keeping nerves steady and managing emotions. I am reassured not only by what I see on the field, but also by what I see off it. It will all depend on him."
Words of a father, an agent, but above all, a man who knows football and its dynamics. Everything done in the months before the start of his Rossoneri adventure is the past: it is up to ‘El Bebote’ to earn his present and future.
What are Santiago Gimenez's numbers with AC Milan since his arrivals?
The 24-year-old Mexican forward joined AC Milan last season during the winter transfer market window, coming from Dutch side Feyenoord for a fee of around 32 million euros. With the Rossoneri colours, he featured in 23 appearances. He managed to score 6 goals while providing 3 assists to his teammates across all competitions (Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the elite European competition: the UEFA Champions League, where he scored a goal against his former team Feyenoord). He also received three yellow cards and one red card.
AC Milan initially brought Santiago Gimenez to score goals and bring certain guarantees in attack, which Alvaro Morata failed to do (currently on loan at Como). Now, the goal for Massimiliano Allegri is to bring the best out of him to try to secure a top four finish this season.
