Ahead of Milan’s game against Lecce tomorrow, Sergio Conceicao was asked about Santiago Gimenez and some of his struggles in Serie A so far. An ‘absolutely normal’ turn of events, as the manager described it.
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On paper, Gimenez has had a strong start at Milan with three goals and two assists in eight games. However, the last few games have been a bit of a struggle for the Mexican international, failing to make a difference for his side.
Of course, given the Rossoneri’s form lately, a lot of the blame can be placed elsewhere. Nevertheless, Conceicao was asked about the player during his press conference earlier today, speaking to the media ahead of the Lecce-Milan clash. He also discussed Gimenez’s up-and-down form.
“He’s working. He has come to a new league and that’s not easy at all, it’s different in Italy. There’s always a period of adaptation, it’s absolutely normal. We haven’t neutered his quality by putting a player next to him.
“We’re working on it and he’s very focused on his work, he’s had a good week of training. I’ve seen many players who have come to Italy, see Retegui, and they struggled initially. It’s not easy to come to Italy and score 15-20 goals straight away. He wants it and I want it too, but he’s working.”
Gimenez might not play from the first minute tomorrow, with Tammy Abraham knocking on the door for a spot in the XI, but he will surely make an appearance either way. For Milan, he remains a key player for the future, especially from next season with a new manager (most likely).