They helped me earn a place at City

Tijjani Reijnders has explained what he improved while with AC Milan, which allowed him to then get a move to Manchester City.

Today, at 18:00 CEST, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will make their debut at the Club World Cup in the USA. They will play in a group that includes Juventus, an opponent that Reijnders knows well by now.

Indeed, the Dutchman will make his first appearance in a City shirt, if all goes to plan. Earlier in the month, Reijnders said goodbye to Milan in favour of a new experience in the Premier League, in what could become a club-record sale for the Rossoneri.

Reijnders reflects

Reijnders a few hours before the match in the United States and this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) relayed some of his statements. The former AZ Alkmaar man said said he was happy to have been able to join a ‘dream team’.

“My first season with the Rossoneri, I wasn’t calm in front of goal. I worked on it the following summer, I reviewed videos of my actions, of the chances I missed and I tried to be calmer. But they helped me earn a place at City,” the Dutchman underlined.

“I studied Kevin De Bruyne, but I think Ilkay Gündoğan is the one I can learn a lot from. It’s nice to see him up close, understand the things he does and how he does them.

“Last year with Milan I tried to take an example from him and score more goals and more assists, because contributing to the attack is always important for a midfielder.

“Last season for City? After everything they’ve won, a negative year can happen, but now it’s up to us to make this team a winner again.”