André-Pierre Gignac has come to the defense of Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández, claiming that Chivas supporters have been unduly harsh on the striker since his return to the club. The Mexican forward has struggled to meet expectations, scoring just three goals in 31 appearances since his homecoming.
"Football isn't that easy - be careful," Gignac said in an interview with Fox Sports Mexico. "But I'm happy he's here because he's going to contribute a lot to the young players at Chivas... You guys are terrible, honestly - sorry, but all of you. You're terrible with him, yes. It's not because I want him to be well or anything like that, but the truth is, you're terrible, you tear him apart."
The Tigres striker, who has become one of Liga MX's biggest stars since arriving in 2015 with an impressive tally of 219 goals in all competitions, believes Hernández deserves more respect considering his motivations for returning.
"He comes to Chivas because he wants to finish his career at the club he loves, where he gave so much when he started. They sold him, he comes back with love and all that, and you guys tear him apart," Gignac added.
Chicharito's return to Chivas in 2024 was initially celebrated with great fanfare. The striker was welcomed back to a packed Estadio Akron, marking what many hoped would be a triumphant return of the club's prodigal son. However, the reality has proven less glamorous, with the 36-year-old managing only one goal in his last eight matches, while El Rebaño currently sits in 10th place in the Clausura 2025.
The expectations placed on Hernández stemmed from his illustrious career in Europe, where he played for elite clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Sevilla, and West Ham. During his decade in European football (2010-2020), Chicharito netted 127 goals across all clubs.
Gignac was quick to highlight these achievements: "I'm sure he can still help and score goals, but a player who played for Real Madrid, Manchester, Leverkusen, at big clubs, who scored goals everywhere - even at Real Madrid. They can say whatever they want, but you have to score goals and play alongside these monsters. He has a fantastic career, he might be the Mexican with the best career in Europe."
Manchester United was where Hernández enjoyed his greatest success, scoring 59 goals under Sir Alex Ferguson's management. His stint at Bayer Leverkusen was also productive, with 39 goals to his name, while his time at Real Madrid yielded 9 goals in 33 appearances.
Despite these credentials, Chicharito has yet to become the on-field leader that club owner Amaury Vergara had envisioned when orchestrating his return. As criticism continues to mount, Gignac's defense of the Mexican striker suggests that patience and perspective might be needed when evaluating the twilight years of a player who represented Mexican football at the highest levels of European competition.
