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Ardon Jashari has admitted that the fractured leg made it a difficult start to life at AC Milan, but he is ready to hit 100% for his dream club.
Not for the first time, Milan and Club Brugge were involved in a transfer tug-of-war during the summer mercato. After Charles De Ketelaere three years prior, this time another young midfielder was at the heart of the negotiations: Ardon Jashari.
Eventually, the Rossoneri and the Belgian club agreed a deal north of €30m for the Swiss international. Early in his time at Milan he fractured his leg in training, leading to nearly three months out.
In recent starts though it has seemed that the 23-year-old is getting back to top condition. Against Lecce on Sunday in particular he looked very sharp in the regista role, having learned from Luka Modric in training.
Jashari on Milan dream, injury, Modric, Pulisic and more
Jashari did a segment on CBS Sports Golazo as a preview for Sunday night’s game against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, and he shed light on how he has settled in to life at Milan.
How did it feel being injured so soon after your arrival?
“After just three weeks, I got injured, and it was crucial for me to have warm people around me who supported me during that period. Yes, the important thing was to stay focused and remember the club you’re playing for.
“In my case, AC Milan was a dream. I arrived at this club, and while I was injured, I focused solely on getting back to fitness, which is far from easy because an injury is only the first phase: the second is getting back to your previous physical level.
“But I think, in that sense, it went really well. Also thanks to the staff and, of course, my teammates: seeing them train every day without being able to work with them was difficult.
“However, in hindsight, looking back, I’ve learned to appreciate that period too, because it’s an experience that, in a career, is almost impossible not to have. That’s why I’m really happy to be back with the team.”
The summer preseason phase is a crucial time to face the season at your best. What was it like having to get back to peak condition without being able to play in the friendly matches [at Brugge]?
“It’s always very, very difficult when you can’t take part in summer training, because that’s when there are so many matches and different training sessions. I think the intensity of the preparation is higher than during the season, but during the injury period I trained mostly in individual sessions.
“When training during the season seems, pardon the expression, lighter and the intensity isn’t really high, you have to push yourself to get back into the swing of things, which is very difficult. And then, when you get the chance to play, the same thing applies.
“You always have to push yourself to the limit, push yourself beyond, to try to get back into top form. I tried: I had a few opportunities in the Supercoppa and the Coppa Italia, and then in the last match against Lecce, where I was able to play more.
“Obviously, every match is important, first and foremost to regain self-confidence, but also to demonstrate it to your teammates and the coach, who can see your progress after the injury.”
As we said, it’s a dream for you to be at Milan. You grew up in Switzerland and now you’re at your dream club. How was this transition for you?
“When I was young, I grew up in Swiss academies; I did my entire journey there. If I look back today and think about where I am and where I play now, compared to two or two and a half years ago, it’s hard to describe how challenging it was to get to this point.
“But looking back, it was definitely crucial to never give up, to work hard, and to have the right people around you, my family… The circle is always very, very small when you want to achieve something big, but I think everyone, ever since I was very young, has always seen me with a ball at my feet, aiming to become a professional.
“This has always been my dream, and the journey, from day one as a professional until today, has been an incredible experience. I hope this journey can continue like this in the future.”
At Milan you have the opportunity to play alongside some of the best players in the world. What’s it like learning from Luka Modric on and off the pitch?
“Luka Modrić is simply incredible to watch. His calm, his experience, and everything he manages to convey to the team. It’s really hard to put someone like him into words.”
Tell us something about Christian Pulisic…
Pulisic is a truly exceptional person. He sits next to me in the dressing room, so we chat every day. He’s very intelligent and a key player for our team. He can make the difference in any game, at any time: with just one move, he can decide a match.
“As a person, he’s fantastic with everyone. I also really admire the fact that he always tries to help younger players or newcomers, like me, integrate better into the group.”
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Rafael Leao, and he spoke about your coach Allegri. Can you tell us a little about the advice Allegri tries to give you to improve?
“Allegri is a coach with enormous experience in Italian football and has won countless trophies. He’s someone we need to listen to. Ultimately, no matter what position he sees a player in, he always has the right feeling.
“This doesn’t just apply to Rafa, but to the entire team: it’s crucial to try to understand what he likes, both on and off the pitch, and try to put it into practice. It’s important for the entire team to understand what the coach wants, both on and off the pitch, and try to follow that. As we saw in the derby.”
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