CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Is Santi Giménez playing for Feyenoord in the Champions League today?
Giménez’s Feyenoord will bid to maintain their hold on Group E top spot when they face Lazio on Champions League matchday four.
Santi Giménez will look to put an embarrassing weekend penalty miss behind him when Feyenoord visit Lazio in the Champions League today.
The Mexico striker is set to lead the line in Rome for the Dutch champions, who sit top of Group E after winning two of their first three games.
Giménez missed Feyenoord’s opening two matches of the Champions League campaign through suspension, but shone on his tournament debut two weeks ago, scoring twice as Arne Slot’s side beat Lazio 3-1 in Rotterdam.
Giménez fails with dinked penalty in Waalkwijk win
The double took his goal tally to 15 already this term, although he has failed to hit the target in Feyenoord’s two games since then - and was left red-faced when he missed the target with an impudent spot-kick on Saturday.
In the first half of Feyenoord’s Dutch league clash at RKC Waalwijk, Giménez spurned the chance to put his side 2-1 ahead when he scooped a Panenka-style penalty over the bar.
Feyenoord boss cautions against “arrogance”
Speaking after the match, which the visitors finally won 2-1, Feyenoord head coach Slot said he would speak to Giménez about the miss, and had words of warning about the dangers of over-confidence.
“A missed penalty is never a nice thing”, Slot said, “but if you miss one with the scoreboard not in your favour it simply isn’t worth anything.
“I think it’s good for people to have confidence in themselves, but you don’t have to exaggerate either. Self-confidence shouldn’t turn into arrogance.”
Slot added that Giménez “has not been good in the last two games” - but was also mindful of the 22-year-old’s excellent overall form for Feyenoord since joining from Cruz Azul in summer 2022.
“Santi has saved us plenty of times during the last year and a half,” the coach noted.
Feyenoord not keen on January Giménez sale - club chief
In all, Giménez has scored 38 times in 58 appearances for Feyenoord, leading the Mexican to be linked with a host of major European clubs, including LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Speaking to AS this week, however, Feyenoord managing director Dennis te Kloese said the Rotterdam club do not plan to sell the star in the January transfer window.
“We don’t have any firm offers on the table for Santi,” Te Kloese added.
Possible Feyenoord XI to face Lazio:
Bijlow, Nieuwkoop, Geertruida, Hancko, Hartman, Zerrouki, Timber; Paixão, Stengs, Ivanusec, Giménez.
Lazio vs Feyenoord: when, where, how to watch?
Lazio and Feyenoord’s Champions League Group E matchday-four clash will be played today, Tuesday 7 November 2023, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm ET/12 noon PT.
Viewers in the US will be able to watch Lazio vs Feyenoord on ViX and Paramount+.