Why isn’t Santiago Gimenez playing for Milan against Lazio in Serie A?

As Milan prepares for another decisive Serie A night at San Siro against a Lazio side slowly rediscovering its rhythm, the Mexican striker’s absence has become one of the most discussed storylines across Italian soccer.

Milan steps into the weekend with momentum, pressure, and one glaring question surrounding Santiago Gimenez. As the club prepares for another decisive Serie A night at San Siro against a Lazio side slowly rediscovering its rhythm, the Mexican striker’s absence has become one of the most discussed storylines across Italian soccer. The Rossoneri enter the match with confidence after a derby triumph. At the same time, Lazio arrives in search of consistency — yet the mystery surrounding Gimenez hovers over both teams as the Rossoneri chase the top of the table.

This game comes at a decisive moment in the championship. Milan, riding high after a 1-0 win over Inter sealed by Christian Pulisic’s second-half strike, remains unbeaten for 12 straight matches in all competitions. Massimiliano Allegri’s defensive wall, led by Mike Maignan, turned the derby into a statement performance — the kind of success that renews a squad’s belief in its Scudetto ambitions.

The Biancocelesti, meanwhile, sit eighth in the standings. The capital club beat Lecce 2-0 last week and has recorded five clean sheets in its previous six matches, despite a turbulent start defined by a transfer embargo and early-season injuries. Maurizio Sarri’s men travel to San Siro with momentum, but also with concerns: they have gone nearly 300 minutes without scoring away from home. The storyline, however, has shifted dramatically—not because of form, but because Milan will be missing a key attacking piece.

Why Santiago Gimenez is absent

Midweek, Massimiliano Allegri confirmed that Santiago Gimenez has been ruled out. The coach explained that the Mexican striker remains unavailable because he is “still a few days from getting back to full training” due to a lingering issue that has worsened in recent weeks. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the forward is recovering from an ankle problem that had quietly limited him for months — the very issue that finally forced him to stop.

Gimenez himself revealed the extent of the struggle when he addressed fans directly on Instagram earlier this month. In a message that stunned many, he admitted: “For several months, I’ve been playing with an ankle injury that hasn’t allowed me to be 100% fit or comfortable on the pitch. I continued to help the team, but the pain increased: the time has come to stop.”

This paints a very different picture of the attacker’s underwhelming performances since his January arrival. What many assumed was adaptation difficulty was, in fact, an injury he kept hidden for the sake of the team.

Setback that explains everything

The details released by both the player and coach underline the seriousness of the condition. His father, Christian Gimenez, confirmed earlier that a knock suffered against Atalanta on October 28 worsened the issue, turning a manageable discomfort into a persistent problem.

The club expects him to return next week, potentially in time for the December 8 fixture against Torino. But Milan’s medical team plans to take no risks. With busy months ahead — including Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup — the goal is full recovery, not short-term fixes.