GdS: How Conceicao plans to rotate Milan’s strikers in view of Bologna clashes

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·29 April 2025

GdS: How Conceicao plans to rotate Milan’s strikers in view of Bologna clashes

Santiago Gimenez returned to scoring against Venezia which means Sergio Conceicao has three strikers in good shape to call upon, and he intends to.

La Gazzetta dello Sport recall that Gimenez was having a ‘CDK afternoon’ on Sunday, one of those where he seemed to be messing up everything that he touched, feeling the weight of his price tag after two months without a goal. Then, that lob in the 95th minute changed things.

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The last time he had scored was against Feyenoord, in the first minute of the return leg of the Champions League play-off, back in mid-February. The toughest night in Milan’s season. A comment from Conceiçao at the end of Venezia 0-2 Milan was significant.

“Santiago is aware that he is not at his best. He told me straight away at the end of the match that it didn’t go well but the goal was important,” he said.

“He has to think about how he can work for the team, with the ball and without the ball. Then the goals will surely come, because he is good and the group knows his qualities. We have faith in him and in all the others.”

Luka and Tammy

Then, there are the others: Luka Jovic and Tammy Abraham, who ‘share the studio apartment’ with the Mexican in the striker role. Jovic did not play in Venice due to lower back pain during the warm-up, Abraham was promoted to starter and, let’s say, did not impress.

And now, what happens? Can Gimenez return to the starting line-up? Yes and no at the same time. Jovic has been too effective in this period not to be a starter: he will be until the end, until the Coppa Italia final on May 14 against Bologna.

The calendar, however, offers a curious sequence and an opportunity for everyone to get minutes. In other words, Conceicao plans to manage the workloads cleverly.

Santi and Bologna

Milan will go to Genoa next Monday for a game that, let’s say, is not season-defining. Conceiçao could choose Jovic that night to give him some minutes, and get him back into shape. It would be the most logical choice.

However, on May 11, three days before the Coppa Italia final, Milan will play in the league against… Bologna. Two games in 72 hours against the same opponent. Well, Conceiçao will probably change a lot that day, for two reasons.

It is partly so as not to tire out the starters in the final, but partly not to give Vincenzo Italiano the advantage of studying Milan from the observatory of San Siro first-hand. That day, Abraham and Gimenez will fight for a starting spot.

If the trains well, if he comes on well against Genoa, Gimenez will be able to hear the Serie A anthem before minute one again. If San Siro encouraged him instead of grumbling at the third mistake in a row, even better.