Santi Gimenez starts the season with an assist in AC Milan triumph in Coppa Italia
The Mexican made his debut at San Siro and was involved in Christian Pulisic goal that sealed the 2-0 victory over Bari, the day of Modric debut
The official start of the 2025-26 season brought good news for AC Milan and, in particular, for Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez. In his debut at San Siro this season, the former Feyenoord player provided a key assist in the 2-0 victory over Bari in the Coppa Italia round of 32.
The match started with an unexpected blow for the Rossoneri: Rafael Leao's injury in the 18th minute. That circumstance forced coach Massimiliano Allegri to move his pieces earlier than expected and opened the door for the early entry of Gimenez, who was initially scheduled to have minutes in the second half.
The tricolor attacker was quick to get involved. Although he made limited appearances in the first half, even scoring a goal that was ruled out for offside, his presence grew as the minutes went by.
Modric makes his debut at San Siro and Santi provides the decisive assist
The second half brought with it the most anticipated entry of the evening: Luka Modric. The veteran Croatian made his official debut in the Milan shirt and received a standing ovation from the San Siro crowd. Coinciding with his introduction, the play that defined the course of the match also occurred.
Santiago Gimenez won the ball back in the three-quarter line, quickly combined with Christian Pulisic, and delivered a precise pass for the American to score the second goal of the match. This action sealed the 2-0 lead and gave the home team some peace of mind after Rafael Leao's first goal at the start.
With the score in their favor, Milan controlled the pace without any problems and allowed Modric to gain confidence in midfield. The Croatian even tried his hand with a shot from the edge of the box, but he couldn't beat the opposing goalkeeper. Gimenez, for his part, played 75 minutes and ended up being one of the standout names of the night.
The win gives Milan a place in the round of 32, where they'll face Lecce again at the San Siro. But first, Allegri and his charges will have to focus on their Serie A debut against Cremonese, next Saturday, August 23, also at home.