Gimenez scored the winner against Verona. Gimenez scored the winner against Verona.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says Santiago Gimenez is getting "stronger step by step" at AC Milan, after scoring the winner against Verona on his first Serie A start. (More Football News)

The former Feyenoord striker, who joined the Rossoneri earlier this month, headed home the game's only goal in the 75th minute at San Siro.

That made it two goals in two league games for Gimenez, who was also on target from the bench in last week's 2-0 win at Empoli - becoming the first Mexican player to score for Milan in Serie A.

He joined Andriy Shevchenko and Christian Pulisic as one of three players to score in each of their first two league appearances for the Rossoneri during the three points for a win era.

"I expected things to go well because Gimenez is someone who likes to score goals and this is a team that gets the ball into the box," Ibrahimovic said. "You just have to be ready to meet it and put it in the net.

"It's not easy coming to Italian football as a foreign player, but we are helping him settle in and get stronger step by step.

"This is a very important win. It's true that we only scored one goal, but we dominated."

3 - Santiago Giménez became the third player to score in each of his first two Serie A appearances for Milan in the three points for a win era – among those in their debut season in the competition – after Andriy Shevchenko and Christian Pulisic. Fierce.#MilanVerona pic.twitter.com/yMAfgmCH9R

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 15, 2025

Milan advisor - and former striker - Ibrahimovic was conducting post-match media duties in the absence of head coach Sergio Conceicao, who was mourning the death of former Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa at the age of 87.

These two teams are meeting for the first time in the tournament in pool stage.

Conceicao worked alongside Pinto da Costa at the Portuguese giants for seven years,ph11 official website during which time he won three Primeira Liga titles and the Taca de Portugal on four occasions.

"I am here because the coach is in the dressing room, and he is very upset by the death of the Porto president," Ibrahimovic added. "He was like a father to him."

Next up for Milan is the second leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff against Feyenoord on Tuesday.

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The Rossoneri trail 1-0 from last week's first leg at De Kuip and, with games coming thick and fast, Ibrahimovic highlighted the need for squad rotation.

"We're Milan, so if we only have one player to rely on, we're in trouble!" he added. "The more players you have, the more alternatives you have.

"Every coach has to rotate his squad when you're playing every three days1xbet, otherwise we'll burn them out and risk injuries. It is also important to keep everyone involved and confident."