Santiago Gimenez says Tuesday night's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid is going to be "one of the most important" of his career - and he's not wrong. For starters, Feyenoord need a win at De Kuip to climb above the current Group E leaders and their star striker is clearly key to them achieving their objective.
Gimenez missed the two teams' first meeting in Madrid through suspension and the Dutch champions still only lost 3-2 at the Metropolitano. The fans are cautiously optimistic, then, that Arne Slot's side can gain revenge with the Mexico international back in the starting line-up, and having already shown what he can do at this level with two goals in a 3-1 win over Lazio on matchday three.
But this isn't just a colossal clash from Feyenoord's perspective; it also very much feels like this could be a defining moment for Gimenez. A positive performance against one of Europe's biggest names - and best defensive sides - could well convince the numerous scouts certain to be in attendance that Feynoord's free-scoring forward should be their employers' top transfer target, if not in January than at the end of the current season.
We have, of course, seen plenty of strikers shine in the Eredivisie in the past only to subsequently disappoint at the very highest level, so are we looking at the next Robin van Persie here - or another Mateja Kezman?...
