GdS: ‘The leader of Milan’ – how Reijnders became the Rossoneri’s talisman | OneFootball

Tijjani Reijnders is having the best season of his career, and he has become perhaps the leading star of AC Milan during a difficult campaign.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning, the numbers speak for themselves. He is having his best season thanks to 14 total goals (10 in Serie A) and in the ‘top five’ European leagues, no other midfielder is in double figures.

The one who comes closest is Scott McTominay, with eight. It is a nice calling card for this mezzala, transformed by Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceiçao into a midfielder who beats opposing goalkeepers with the frequency of an attacking midfielder.

This is without forgetting that he is important during the build-up phase, and does work out of possession too. In short, an all-rounder who is an invaluable asset.

Big goals

When Reijnders scored, Milan lost only once, at Torino. In addition, the No.14 has the habit of scoring heavy goals: he was the one who signed the victories against Monza, Verona, Empoli, Como and Club Brugge, and who scored in the draws with Roma and Inter.

It was also Reijnders who scored the goal that sealed the win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. These are numbers that in January, when Stefano Pioli went to visit Milan in Riyadh during the Supercoppa, made him joke: “With me last year you always shot wide.”

In fact, Tijji has gone from four goals in 2023-24 to the current 14. The taximeter is still running given that he will have at least another seven matches to play (six in Serie A plus one or two in the Coppa Italia) to improve his tally.

Furthermore, compared to last season, his shots on target have more than tripled (from 0.25 to 0.87 per match) and the conversion rate has soared (from 10% to 23%). Of the 47 official matches played so far by the Diavolo, he has played 46 (out against Napoli due to suspension) and only once has he not started.

Reijnders is a truly irreplaceable player who has further increased his engine revs in the last few weeks. It was inevitable for the club to move quickly and extend his contract: a way to discourage the top clubs who are looking for him.

Leadership

In this Milan, one that hopes to climb the table and improve on the current ninth place to reach the qualification for a European competition, Reijnders is considered an irreplaceable element. Let’s say the thermometer of the team.

Because when he is in control, the Rossoneri are usually at their best too. A useful clarification to understand his growth: he has done his best as a midfielder, in the 4-2-3-1, and not as an attacking midfielder.

When he starts a few metres further back, he can exploit his ability to contribute in the build-up phase, his ability to attack the spaces with timely runs but also his propensity to recover the ball. This is how he earned a starting place in the Netherlands national team.

He earned the praise of Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, too. Speaking of Van Basten, the last Dutchman of Milan to reach double figures in Serie A was him.