MN: Gimenez targets the final – encouraging signs arrive to give Conceicao a dilemma | OneFootball

Santiago Gimenez has had a couple of very encouraging appearances off the bench in the last two games, and now he has the Coppa Italia final in his sights.

MilanNews begin a report by mentioning how many fans and pundits have asked how is it possible that Gimenez went from being the player who broke Bayern Munich on a magical Champions League night for Feyenoord to the one who looked some devoid of confidence.

Some even questioned if Gimenez was the right man to invest in just few weeks after his arrival in Italy. However, the Mexican – despite having gone two months without a goal before netting against Venezia – has shown that he has characteristics that the team has been lacking for a long time.

Gimenez: Difference-maker?

If used in the right way, he can make the difference. In the victory against Genoa, we saw yet another confirmation of how damaging and useless it is to judge a player based on such a limited period of time, especially someone who needs games to adapt.

Luka Jovic is a good example of this. He has earned his starting spot with recent goals but the Serbian – who loves to drop deep and even move wide to favour the penetrating runs of those around him – was unable to find the right spaces at the Marassi.

Gimenez’s entrance instead mixed things up a bit, giving Milan solutions that had been lacking until that moment. The No.7 was good at attacking the space in behind, taking advantage of the large gaps that the Rossoblu were leaving in their constant pressing and with a high line.

The equalising goal was in fact born from this situation: the Mexican freed himself well on the centre-right and received the ball over the top from Joao Felix, then providing a brilliant cut-back for Rafael Leao to fire home via a deflection.

Photo by AC Milan

Milan have faith

At the end of the match Gimenez was interview by DAZN and he confirmed that he is feeling confident and ready to contribute, especially in view of the Coppa Italia final in one week against Bologna.

“I’m feeling very good. I know my strong points and I always try to make them available to the group. I feel comfortable when I have to attack the space in behind. I feel very good physically, I train to the max to then demonstrate in the match. I really believe in the fact that the way you train, you then play on the pitch,” he said.

Hiswork ethic was also confirmed by Sergio Conceiçao in the press conference: “He too, in the most difficult moments, is one of the first to arrive at Milanello. He has the quality. It’s a question of time. Adapting in Italy is not easy for anyone.”

Those who are at Milanello every day have great faith in the player, who shows that he cares a lot about repaying the faith that Milan showed in him. He arrived with a problem in his adductor but has shrugged that off, and the goal and assist in the recent wins over Venezia and Genoa show this.

Santi wants to be a protagonist in this final part of the season and he knows very well that on May 14th a game is coming that can erase in one fell swoop the doubts and criticisms of the last few months. He is working hard to be ready for it.