Wim Kieft thinks that Santiago Giménez will make the difference between Ajax and Feyenoord on Sunday. The former international of the Dutch national team is impressed by the debut season of the 21-year-old Mexican. “It really is a revelation,” said the analyst on Friday evening Veronica Offside. After 33 games for the team from Rotterdam, Giménez has fourteen goals and three assists. Since this calendar year, he has been the undisputed basic striker under trainer Arne Slot.
Kieft sees that Giménez has developed considerably under Slot. “At first it was very much out of position, but that guy is now running to pieces. He’s putting pressure. It really is a revelation.” Analyst Andy van der Meijde also enjoyed Giménez during Feyenoord’s huge victory over Shakhtar Donetsk (7-1). “They were 3-0 up and then he went hunting. His teammates stopped at that moment and then he went completely crazy. Then you are 3-0 ahead, but Feyenoord is so eager to grab those points and continue!”
Giménez has specific qualities that a striker needs, says Kieft. “He always knows exactly where the space is. How he takes a ball with his outside at exactly the right speed…” Van der Meijde also praises the physical ability of the Mexican. “That is also a quality of his. The way he uses his body. You can’t get the ball off him, boy, if he puts his back against it. So strong, unbelievable. He is also fast on the first meters.”
Kieft knows for sure. “Right now, in the period that Feyenoord is in. It’s all going well, they have now played well and are going to Amsterdam. I think this boy will make the difference.” Giménez will play his second Classic on Sunday afternoon. During the edition of January 22, the goalkeeper had to settle for a place on the bench, but now the striker will most likely join the basic team. Feyenoord enters the match in the Johan Cruijff ArenA as the leader. Next month, the team from Rotterdam will meet Ajax again in the TOTO KNVB Cup.
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