Milan haven’t kept up with the leading pack in Serie A this season. Yet, they’ve made it to the Champions League playoffs, bolstered by new recruits.
AC Milan Champions League Outright Markets | Odds |
|---|---|
Outright Winner | |
To Reach the Final |
Odds via Parimatch. Correct at time of publishing.
Assessing Milan’s New Argentine Goalscoring Sensation
With just 35 goals scored in 23 Serie A games, Milan’s goal output is the lowest in the top nine teams of the table. Only two teams inside the top 16 of the UEFA Champions League table have scored fewer goals than the Rossoneri to date.
Given this, it was no surprise to see Milan enter the January transfer window in search of attacking reinforcements. Having joined Milan on a season loan from AS Roma, English striker Tammy Abraham has scored just twice in 19 games. Sergio Conceicao’s acquisition of Feyenoord’s Mexican star Santiago Gimenez could prove to be a brilliant move.
Since joining the Dutch giants from Mexican outfit Cruz Azul in 2022, Gimenez has adapted effortlessly to European football. He helped Feyenoord win the 2022/23 Eredivisie title, scoring 15 goals in 32 domestic games. The following year, he helped Feyenoord to a KNVB Cup triumph, scoring 26 goals in all competitions.
He surpassed Mexico’s all-time top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie, Hirving Lozano, before finalising his move to the San Siro in January. The transfer, valued at €32m, made him Feyenoord’s most expensive sale in the club’s history.
Can Gimenez Help Milan Lift an 8th Champions League Trophy?
Arriving at the San Siro as Feyenoord’s most expensive sale adds pressure on the Argentina-born Mexican. However, Gimenez remained composed, netting a goal in his first Serie A appearance at Empoli. His all-round performance was impressive, coming off the bench to replace Tammy Abraham and demonstrate his clinical nature in front of goal.
The Dutch Eredivisie has long been a proving ground for elite European strikers. Gimenez’s South American compatriot, Luis Suarez, is the most notable comparison. The Uruguayan was the Eredivisie’s top scorer in the 2009/10 season with 35 goals. He went on to star at Liverpool and Barcelona, winning the Champions League with the latter, along with four La Liga trophies.
Dirk Kuyt made his name at Gimenez’s former club, Feyenoord. Kuyt scored 29 goals in the 2004/05 campaign, finishing as the Eredivisie top scorer. He was a huge success at Liverpool, despite being converted from a centre forward into a relentless winger. He was a fan favourite and scored many crucial goals, including in the 2006/07 Champions League final, which he and Liverpool lost – ironically to Milan.
Some Italian football experts have compared Gimenez to another former Serie A legend, Christian Vieri. The powerhouse forward, who made his name at Inter, was a fearless goalscorer who had a unique blend of physicality and technical finesse, which are qualities that mirror Gimenez’s style.
Gimenez will lock horns with his former employer Feyenoord in Milan’s Champions League playoff tie. If the Mexican can lead Milan into the last 16, the Rossoneri’s odds to either win the UCL outright (51.00) or at least reach the final (19.00) could soon shrink. Elite-level strikers are very much at a premium this season.