Spagnolo, 19 years old, a very good friend of Hernandez, didn’t make him regret him against Genoa. The Rossoneri believe it, they bought him out for 5 million, but the contract has a counter-ransom for the next two summers
At his first time as a starter at La Scala he presented himself with personality and broad shoulders, two business cards that have always accompanied him. Alex Jimenez against Genoa replaced Theo, playing with the calm of a veteran, going up and down the San Siro flank with the naturalness of someone who has been doing it for ten years. Instead it was the first since the beginning in Serie A, but no one noticed. Other key factors were time and patience. Jimenez, in fact, was able to wait for his moment, staying behind the scenes and shining with Milan Futuro, waiting for an opportunity with the big boys. Then on Sunday evening he showed that he was capable of acting as a protagonist, drawing applause and acclaim. And on a dark and gray evening, he managed to take the critics’ award as best of the match. Assists, bucking, lots of concentration and very few errors. Passed with full marks.
out of category and theo
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Those who see him every day in training assure that he has nothing to do with Serie C. Out of category. In his first season, in the Italian Cup with Lecco, he scored two left-handed hooks… then in November he scored two goals against Theo. The first, against Pontedera starting from the left and kicking into the top corner at the far post, then the following week he stung Arezzo starting from his own half of the pitch: he takes the ball in defence, travels 60 meters with the ball at his feet, misses three and post in the corner. With lots of angry celebration. From the series: try to stop me. He has a motto tattooed on his calf to reread every day. “You only lose if you stop trying.” He moves forward with patience and determination and holds his ground. Those who know him have compared him to Theo since he arrived at Milanello. Technique, physical strength and this offensive propensity to assist and score. Both can seem a bit bold and have the same way of getting down the wing. Obviously one remains the holder of the chair, the other an assistant who looks at him with dreamy eyes and tries to absorb like a sponge. But at the same time he shows that he knows how to stay on that side, without fear. Theo took him under his wing in the dressing room, firstly because he spoke Spanish, then his past at Real Madrid and for the role. They often talk and the Frenchman gives him valuable advice.
pegs, ductility and real
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Alex, in reality, had already bewitched even Pioli who had thrown him into the fray last year between the championship and the Italian Cup. Even there, he had done well. A good performance against Cagliari – complete with an assist for Chaka Traoré – two good moments with Empoli and Napoli. Another thing that surprises him is his flexibility: on three occasions Pioli deployed him low to the right, often out of necessity, and on one he placed him high wide for ten minutes to defend the result. Fonseca, however, put him on the left instead of Theo. With Milan Futuro he also happened to be a midfielder or on the outside. Obviously there is no shortage of sirens. Both from Italy and abroad. In the summer he chose to stay, also convinced by the words of Ibra, who in the season presentation conference had guaranteed to focus on him also for the first team. Milan bought him back from Real Madrid in July for around 5 million, but Los Blancos maintain a counter-right that can be exercised in 2025 or 2026. In the meantime, the present speaks Rossoneri, then we’ll see. Alex knew how to wait and took advantage of the right moment and will probably have an opportunity against Verona too. It is said that the first is beautiful, but it is from the second that the journey really starts. The ice has now broken. But taking responsibility has never been a problem: for the rest, he just needs to glance at his calf.
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