While several AC Milan players impressed in our win over Bologna on Monday night, Tijjani Reijnders emerged as a stand-out performer in his Serie A debut.
The 25-year-old had already made a positive impression over pre-season, but having been handed his first league start in our season opener, it was hoped that he’d be able to back that up in competitive action.
READ MORE: Five key talking points as Milan seal win over Bologna but have work to do
Reijnders didn’t disappoint as he played a key role in midfield, showcasing his ability and potential in both phases of the game with an all-action, box-to-box display.
The Dutchman ended the game with a total distance covered of 12.8km, the most of any player on the pitch, but he combined that work-rate and commitment with technical quality on the ball too.
Aside from his brilliant assist for Olivier Giroud’s goal, he had 37 touches, 100% passing accuracy having completed 28 of 28, two key passes, won two of four ground duels and lost possession just three times.
Beyond the numbers though, he showcased his intelligence on the pitch both in and out of possession, whether that was through his calmness and assured defensive pressure or consistently playing probing, vertical passes to try and break the lines rather than keeping things too simple.
Milan still have work to do to find the right balance in the XI, as although we played some brilliant attacking football at times, we looked vulnerable defensively, and so Stefano Pioli will need to make tweaks on how we defend space out of possession, particularly in transition when we’re tracking back.
Reijnders will have a key role to play in that aspect of our performance, and there were occasions where he did superbly to make life difficult for Bologna’s attacking players as he kept a cool head and ushered them away from dangerous areas rather than diving in and taking risks.
It’s still only one game and so there is much improvement and development still to come, but there are undoubtedly promising early signs from Reijnders that he will be an excellent addition to the Milan XI, and can be an influential figure in our midfield both in the attacking and defensive thirds.
Looking at the bigger picture though, it’s important that Pioli gets the balance right. Ismael Bennacer’s return from injury will be crucial given his ability to provide that protective shield in front of the backline, and his presence will hopefully allow Reijnders more freedom in advanced positions to be more decisive.
There’s also the integration of Yunus Musah to come, and so whoever the Dutchman is partnered with in that midfield trio, it’s hoped that we can shore things up from a defensive perspective to match the level of quality shown, particularly in the early stages, in the win over Bologna.
🦸♂️ Heatmap hero: Reijnders dominates the field! 🔥#BolognaMilan #SempreMilan
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— AC Milan (@acmilan) August 21, 2023