'He has the quality. It's just a matter of time' - AC Milan Sergio Conceição praises Mexico's Santiago Giménez after forward sparks comeback win over Genoa

AC Milan manager Sergio Conceição praised Santiago Giménez’s impact off the bench after the Mexican striker helped spark Milan’s 2-1 comeback win over Genoa at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium on Monday.

"Even in the most difficult moments, he's one of the first to arrive at Milanello. He has the quality. It's just a matter of time. Adapting to Italy is not easy for anyone," said Conceição.

Giménez came on in the second half and provided an assist just six minutes later, setting up Rafael Leão’s equalizer. The Portuguese striker completed the turnaround, keeping the Rossoneri in ninth place with 57 points—six behind the European qualification spots—with 35 Serie A matchdays played.

In a clash featuring two Mexican players, Johan Vásquez started for Genoa and played the full 90 minutes, while Giménez changed the course of the match with his key contribution.

After another game coming off the bench, the former Cruz Azul player spoke about his performance against Genoa, where his assist to Leão brought Milan level at 1-1:

"I feel really good physically", Giménez said to DAZN. "I train at my best to then show it on the pitch. I truly believe that how you train is how you perform in the game. I'm feeling really good. I know my strengths and always try to make them available to the team. I feel comfortable when I have to attack the space in depth."

Regarding facing fellow countryman Johan Vásquez, Santiago added:

"He’s a great friend, and I’m very happy with the great work he’s done in Serie A. He’s an important reference for Genoa, and we couldn’t wait to play against him today."

A few days ago, Giménez spoke about the “Breakfast Club,” a training routine he started during his time at Feyenoord, which involves arriving at the club hours before breakfast to do extra workouts.

“At first, when we created this Breakfast Club, there were only two or three of us. By the time I left, it was almost the whole team coming in early to train before breakfast,” the striker explained.

Currently, he admits he’s “alone” at Milan in following this early routine, but he hopes others will join over time:

“For now, I’m alone at Milan, but little by little I’ll attract someone else,” he told Sports Illustrated.

This match also marked the seventh time that two Mexican players have faced each other in Serie A. Johan Vásquez has featured in five of those seven encounters.

Conceição’s team will have a few days of rest before facing Bologna this Friday in Matchday 36 of Serie A. The Rossoneri will need to keep securing three points if they hope to qualify for European competitions next season.