Reijnders: “my Dream is Winning a Champions League With Milan

“my Dream is Winning a Champions League With Milan, I Like to Play as a Mezz’ala, Xavi Called Me but…”

Tijjani Reijnders spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about the type of person he is and where he likes to play.

Milan signed Reijnders this summer for AZ Alkmaar and the midfielder has already received compliments from Stefano Pioli (“he is intelligent”) and from Rafael Leão (“he is strong in passing”).

The smiling Dutchman, who will be wearing the #14 jersey on his back next summer, sat down in the United States for an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Luca Bianchin to discuss many things.

How does it feel like to be at Milan?
“I’ve been impressed, from day one. I immediately understand that I was in a big club, different from the size of AZ Alkmaar that I was used to.”

What impresses?
“The fans. Seeing how they support us is very cool. Then as a child I always watched Milan on TV, alone or together with my father, I always knew that Milan was a great club.”

If you had to sum it all up in one name, which one?
“Marco Van Basten. One of the best in the history of the Netherlands. If you ask me for the name of a Dutchman from Milan, the first one that comes to mind is him.”

The Milan fans are wondering where Reijnders will play in Pioli’s new 4-3-3, still to be built. Someone says deep-lying playmaker, others mezz’ala. Who is right?
“I like to play as a number 8, as a mezz’ala. What I do best is being a box-to-box player, effective defensively and on the other half of the pitch. I like to help build the game and be a creative player.”

Mezz’ala then… are you better on the right or on the left?
“On the left, I feel better there.”

So Milan’s deep-lying playmaker will be Krunić…
“Yes, I think Rade is our central midfielder today, then we’ll see how it goes during the season.”

The number 14 on the shoulders of a Dutchman actually brings to mind a more attacking player…
“Yes, I chose it for Cruijff. My favorite number is 6, I also used it in the Netherlands, but obviously at Milan you can’t take it because of Franco Baresi. So I thought of Cruijff and the choice was natural.

And how is it going with the Italian?
“Um… it’s still early. I’m being taught a few words here: ‘come stai’ [how are you], ‘buongiorno’ [good morning], simple things. The next step is to find a home in Milano because I still haven’t figured out where I’m going to stay. We will do that when we come back from the tour.”

What is Tijjani Reijnders’ dream at almost 25 years old?
“Winning a Champions League with Milan. But now also a Scudetto.”