Tijjani Reijnders arrival to AC Milan took place after difficult negotiations. However, the Dutchman's performances were worth the wait. He became important for Stefano Pioli and he is appreciated by the fans.
The player has granted an interview to those at Tuttosport and he said these words:
"My arrival to Milan? I'm proud of it, ever since I came here and signed the contract. Even now when I'm on the field wearing the jersey. You see the level of the Dutch players in red and black and how big the club is: playing for Milan is like fulfilling a childhood dream."
On the difference with AZ:
"A much bigger club and very united fans in Italy: I really like it, the love you receive from the fans is top-notch. I play in one of the best clubs in the world. At Alkmaar, becoming champions of Holland is an aspiration, here you have to win the league and you feel more pressure. At AZ, the focus was on player development, here you have to be at 100% because more is expected from you."
On whether winning the Scudetto is an objective, Reijnders said:
"Definitely: winning it to get the club's second star, I know how important it is for the club and the fans. It would be beautiful to have a role in this season."
On the Champions League:
"Important week: PSG on Wednesday and Napoli next Sunday. It's one of the most crucial moments of the year. We need the 3 points in Europe above all. The Champions League is another dream, I'm at Milan for this. We want to go as far as possible."
On Milan-Juventus:
"We played against them in the preseason, a great team with good players. I'd take away Vlahovic if I could, but also Kean. And in midfield, they're skilled, I faced Rabiot and McKennie. They have quality, but so do we... We have a lot of confidence."
On Milano, Reijnders said:
"A beautiful city, I like the culture, the food is good. Pasta, especially, with tomato, simple and very good. There are a lot of great restaurants. The traffic is the only thing that bothers me a bit sometimes, but it is what it is."
Differences from the Netherlands:
"Most of the time I used the car to go to training, but there are really a lot more bikes here."
How did you arrive at Milan?
"First they told me they were interested in me, but I was hesitant. You never know. Then I received a call from Moncada and Pioli: it was so impressive that I thought 'yes, I have to go straight to Milan'. I immediately had a good feeling. There were other clubs (Barcelona) but Milan came first also in terms of the role. They explained how they wanted me to play, it was the best solution for me. I like helping the team create opportunities, but defense is also very important. In Italy, you have to be sharp, it's important to defend and attack. You have to be a complete player."
On Frank Rijkaard:
"He was more defensive, I like to throw myself into the area (makes a box-to-box gesture with his hands). In the future, I don't see myself as a central defender like him, but he was an incredible player. I'm still very far from his level, who knows, maybe one day?"
On the Milan environment:
"I like it a lot, even though sometimes it's difficult because of the language. I'm learning Italian, watching movies and taking lessons. I feel comfortable with Pioli, the staff, and the teammates, like Loftus-Cheek on and off the field. I feel very much at home."
On the lost Derby, Reijnders said:
"I still have a bad feeling, we'll try to get our revenge in the return match. After that game, we did an excellent job and that's why we're on top."
On playing many minutes:
"I'm in good shape. I love playing football, mentally and physically I feel good. Fortunately, I have a wife, Marina, who takes care of me at home, so I don't have to worry about anything."
On appearances with the Netherlands national team:
"I have definitely improved a lot in Italy, becoming a more complete midfielder. At first, I wasn't someone who tracked back a lot, but here I've understood it. In this sense, Milan has made me a more complete midfielder, but I don't think you can improve drastically in 2-3 months. Maybe they waited a bit too long, but now I've finally arrived where I wanted to be. I waited, it's true, but everything has a meaning and I'm very proud to play for the Netherlands", said Reijnders.
On Serie A:
"Serie A is physically more demanding, I like it. And the opposing defense is more technical, they play the ball."
On his idols, Reijnders said:
"When I was young, initially Ronaldinho. And then Messi. But if I think of myself, I have to say Iniesta."
On Tijani Babangida:
"He came before me, I never met him. I didn't play at Ajax and he was from Ajax. When I was younger, I asked my parents how they came up with the idea for my name and dad explained the reason. So I looked on YouTube what kind of player he was."
On his passions:
"I like paddle and I really enjoy traveling during vacations. Going to places like Mexico or exotic and not so touristy places like Tanzania. I want to discover the beauties of the world, including the hidden ones. In Italy, I've only been to Como, on the lake. We're very busy, available time is scarce."
