CM: What Allegri and Modric chose to do after Gimenez’s rough night against Bologna

AC Milan got the three points so calling it a night to forget would be harsh, but Santiago Gimenez has ended up in the crosshairs of critics.

As Calciomercato.com write, there are several aspects of Milan’s victory against Bologna that will be analysed by Massimiliano Allegri and his staff this week. The positive starting point is another win and another clean sheet, yet there are still various areas to improve upon too.

Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot and Samuele Ricci stood out as positives, but at the other end of the rating scale was Gimenez. It was with the latter that Allegri – increasingly the leader of the group – stepped in to offer support.

Praise from Allegri and Modric

In the minds of the 70,000 fans at San Siro, beyond the victory and Modric’s splendid performance, there’s still Gimenez’s chance to put the team up 2-0.

The Mexican striker’s hesitation – all alone in front of Skorupski after Pulisic’s through ball – conveys all the difficulty of a moment where things aren’t going as planned. Santi is feeling the pressure precisely when he’s in his comfort zone, that is, inside the penalty area.

Photos by AC Milan

The work for the team also arrived on Sunday evening, as Allegri emphasised post-match: “He ran a lot, helped, pressed. He had some chances, it’s true, but he also arrived lacking clarity despite all the work he put in. Technically, he also worked very well.”

When Allegri ordered Christopher Nkunku to come on, Modric’s gesture to the entire stadium – which was jeering Gimenez – didn’t go unnoticed. The Croatian asked them to applaud his struggling team-mate.

These gestures demonstrate the greatness of a champion and the new strength of a squad that can leverage them. The former Feyenoord player is receiving renewed confidence from his coach and teammates after experiencing the final days of the summer transfer window with fears of a move.

Of course what Milan need is for Gimenez to improve also, for him to start taking the chances that would make winning games easier. For now, though, the approach is to put an arm around the shoulder.