Was it criminal? Santiago Giménez talks about the controversial play that gave America the title over Cruz Azul

It’s been a week since the Eagles of America they defeated the Blue Cross Celestial Machine in the final for the Clausura 2024 tournament, becoming two-time champions of Mexican soccer, and the controversy surrounding the penalty that ended up being crucial for the outcome of the match continues to give something to talk about.

Fans, media and even former professional referees agree that ‘Gato’ Marco Antonio Ortíz was extremely rigorous in signaling the foul from the eleven steps. They claim that America’s championship is tainted, and yet there are also those who think differently.

For example? Santiago Giménez: Liga MX champion with the cement producers only in 2021 and current reference for the Mexican National Team, who has done things very well in his still young career in European football.

“I think it’s very doubtful. If I’m honest, for me it was a penalty, but if it had been Gato (Marco Antonio Ortiz) he would have gotten me out of trouble and marked the foul on the wing… I sincerely believe that for me it was 50 and 50 the penalty, so if he scored it is fine and if not it is also fine, but obviously we who are blue obviously hurt us, right? The Gato had it difficult, the truth is, the Gato Ortiz. Cruz Azul played much better, but Ame made a mistake.”

– Santi Gimenez

Without a doubt, this statement will make more than one celestial fan uncomfortable. And, indeed, there were many who felt affected by the refereeing last Sunday, May 26, on the field of the Azteca stadium.

For now, Santiago Giménez already has his sights set on the next Copa América 2024, which will begin on Saturday, June 22, when the tricolor team faces the Jamaican National Team.

For this edition of the tournament, the The Mexican Futbol selection will have the peculiarity that, for the first time, the national strategist will dare to leave out of the list elements that seemed ”obligated” on the tricolor roster, such is the case of Guillermo Ochoa, Raúl Jiménez, ‘Chucky’ Lozano , among others.

Santiago Giménez, consequently, arrives as one of the strongest elements in a squad full of young people eager to do things well, but with little experience, and this, on multiple occasions, tends to make the difference.