43:I[29208,["/_next/static/chunks/0tuv9_t4tcmpd.js","/_next/static/chunks/1yt446igj3lq7.js","/_next/static/chunks/356hjhwwhmsuf.js","/_next/static/chunks/2r-_tyrcnf7v8.js","/_next/static/chunks/0lpwqoi233qvk.js","/_next/static/chunks/3poyse7roc0fs.js","/_next/static/chunks/1-khaq6h6j2wy.js","/_next/static/chunks/2sfb3o3xvfqdd.js","/_next/static/chunks/3h-vnkfj9r7jx.js","/_next/static/chunks/15xqj1mmjxy46.js","/_next/static/chunks/41u_8ogfbuc3t.js","/_next/static/chunks/0x_ky3o94upvj.js"],"default"] 3d:Tdfd,

Santiago Gimenez is living his childhood dream of being AC Milan striker, following in the footsteps of some of his biggest heroes as he prepares to take on former team Feyenoord in the Champions League.

Mexico striker Gimenez returns to the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam on Wednesday night, barely a week after moving to Italian giants Milan with his sights set on dumping Feyenoord out of the Champions League at the play-off stage.

The 23-year-old signed for Milan as a replacement for Alvaro Morata on deadline day of the winter transfer window and has already made an impression on supporters.

Having already set up fellow new arrival Joao Felix on their debuts in last week's Italian Cup triumph over Roma, Gimenez then showed what he can do in front of goal with a classy curling finish which sealed a 2-0 win in his Serie A bow at Empoli on Saturday.

After those two impressive substitute appearances Gimenez is set to line-up against a Feyenoord team in turmoil after the sacking of Arne Slot's replacement as coach Brian Priske, in what is set to be a red-hot atmosphere.

"There are a lot of conflicting emotions. Honestly I wanted it to be Milan against Feyenoord because had I stayed at Feyenoord I would have played against the team I always dreamed of playing for," said Gimenez in a recent interview with Milan's in-house TV station.

"But now I'm at Milan it will be great because I'll be able to see my Rotterdam family and a club I'm really connected to. It's a chance to say goodbye to a team with which I had some wonderful times."

Gimenez has been a fan of Italian football and a Milan supporter since childhood and was a target for the seven-time European champions in the summer before they signed Morata instead.

Milan 'dream'

Spain captain Morata has since been shipped off on loan to Galatasaray while Milan have put 32 million euros worth of faith in Gimenez after he netted 65 times in 105 appearances for Feyenoord, where he won the Dutch title in 2023 and the Dutch Cup last season.

"It's all gone exactly how I wanted," said Gimenez.

"I followed Milan as a boy, they were the team that I loved, as I watched the likes of Kaka, Beckham, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Pirlo, Gattuso. That whole generation of players made the world fall in love with them.

"It was always my dream as a boy and when they contacted me it was like: 'I can't miss this opportunity'."

Gimenez has photos of himself as a child wearing a Milan jersey as well as with his favourite player Kaka, who he describes as his "model".

He is a devout Catholic and says that Kaka inspired him when he spoke to him about his faith.

"I knew from that moment that Milan was the right destination for me," he said.

Gimenez was born in Buenos Aires but moved to Mexico as a young boy with his father Christian who was a professional footballer and also represented the Mexican national team after being born in Argentina.

He will have the chance to represent his country on home soil at the next World Cup, which will be held in 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"There's no bigger honour than playing for your national team at home so playing a World Cup in your own country is a privilege," said Gimenez.

"There's no doubt that Argentina is a country where I feel at home, all my family are there... But if I had to choose I feel more Mexican simply because I spent nearly my whole life there, right from childhood."

3e:Tdfd,

The 23-year-old signed for Milan as a replacement for Alvaro Morata on deadline day of the winter transfer window and has already made an impression on supporters.

Gimenez has been a fan of Italian football and a Milan supporter since childhood and was a target for the seven-time European champions in the summer before they signed Morata instead.

Milan 'dream'

"It's all gone exactly how I wanted," said Gimenez.

"It was always my dream as a boy and when they contacted me it was like: 'I can't miss this opportunity'."

Gimenez has photos of himself as a child wearing a Milan jersey as well as with his favourite player Kaka, who he describes as his "model".

He is a devout Catholic and says that Kaka inspired him when he spoke to him about his faith.

"I knew from that moment that Milan was the right destination for me," he said.

He will have the chance to represent his country on home soil at the next World Cup, which will be held in 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"There's no bigger honour than playing for your national team at home so playing a World Cup in your own country is a privilege," said Gimenez.

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Santiago Gimenez scored his first goal for AC Milan on Saturday as the seven-time European champions won 2-0 at Empoli in a Serie A clash which finished with both teams down to 10 men.

Mexico striker Gimenez, who signed from Feyenoord during the winter transfer window, classily struck Milan's second in the 76th minute in Tuscany to seal the three points.

Rafael Leao headed home Milan's opener eight minutes before Gimenez's first Serie A strike as Milan moved up to seventh, five points off the Champions League positions with a game in hand.

Gimenez's goal is good news for Milan and the 23-year-old who will face his old club Feyenoord in Eindhoven in the Champions League playoffs on Wednesday.

"It's going to be really tough. It's a lot of emotion because Feyenoord gave me a lot. They are like family," Gimenez told DAZN.

Milan looked unlikely to win when defender Fikayo Tomori was sent off for a second bookable offence 10 minutes after the break.

"The temptation at that moment was to take off a striker and put on a defender," Milan coach Sergio Conceicao told DAZN, adding he opted not to shore up his back line because "a draw here is like a defeat for Milan, so I had to take the gamble."

"Football is simple" he said. "There is one net you want the ball in and another you don't."

Milan only played a man down for 10 minutes. Empoli's Luca Marianucci was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Gimenez and Leao soon sent Milan on their way to victory.

In addition to Gimenez, January signings Kyle Walker and Joao Felix also started for Milan.

"This is the spirit we need, we have a lot of quality in the squad, now even more with the new signings," Milan's Christian Pulisic told DAZN.

Earlier, Mateo Retegui scored four goals in Atalanta's thumping 5-0 victory at Verona which moved his team four points behind league leaders Napoli.

Italy striker Retegui took his league tally for the season to 20 goals after striking a hat-trick in the first half at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi and then rounding off the scoring in the 56th minute with a fine volley.

Atalanta are still in the Serie A title race but will go back to being seven points off the pace in third if Napoli beat Udinese as expected in Naples on Sunday.

Inter Milan are a point ahead of Atalanta and host Fiorentina on Monday after being defeated 3-0 by the Viola in Florence on Thursday.

40:T9d5,

Santiago Giménez

Santiago Giménez

Milan's Gimenez punishes former club Feyenoord to stay hot in UCL

New signing Gimenez living AC Milan dream ahead of Feyenoord return

Gimenez off the mark as AC Milan see off Empoli

Gimenez leads Feyenoord to shock win over toothless Bayern