CM: Opponents but never enemies – background on the move as Gimenez returns to Feyenoord | OneFootball

Tonight’s game between Feyenoord and AC Milan is one that will be felt with strong emotions by Santiago Gimenez, who returns to the place he called home.

Calciomercato.com recalls how nine days after his transfer to Milan was made official, Gimenez will face his old team-mates again. De Kuip was ‘casa’ for the Mexican striker who arrived there in the 2022 summer window from Mexican club Cruz Azul.

Three years later, he became the record sale in the history of the Rotterdam club, being sold for €35m (including bonuses) to Milan. In the Netherlands he left many friends, scored many goals and won an Eredivisie as an underdog, so it will be a very special match for the 23-year-old.

Gimenez is very religious, on his Instagram profile he defines himself as a ‘soldier of Christ’. This deep spirituality leads him to live every new beginning as a divine plan, therefore he feels that joining Milan was in his destiny. As a child, he donned a Milan shirt while he kicked a ball around in his garden.

His hope is to receive a warm welcome from his former Feyenoord fans, knowing that they will be opponents for 180 minutes but never enemies. ‘El Bebote’ never forced his hand to leave, not last summer and even less in January: he honoured the shirt until the last day.

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The real negotiation to bring Gimenez began in September with the signature on the power of attorney with Rafaela Pimenta. From that day on, the agent began working with both Feyenoord and Milan to find the best possible solution for everyone.

It is an operation that started a long time ago, meticulous in all the details, and which was aimed at the signing taking place in time for the 2025-26. Alvaro Morata’s exit and the urgency to try get a Champions League spot changed the plans.

Pimenta was very clever in leveraging an old promise made by the Dutch club to Gimenez (that they would let him leave for a big foreign club) and in finding the right valuation for all parties. Now the Mexican is already starting to make history with the Rossoneri, scoring in his first league appearance.