Jashari on injury recovery, ‘crucial’ Allegri, Rabiot and Modric

Ardon Jashari insists that ‘everyone’ at Milan made him feel important during his time on the sidelines, praises the ‘crucial’ Massimiliano Allegri and his teammates Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot.

Jashari joined Milan from Club Brugge last summer, but suffered a fibula injury in training shortly after his move to San Siro, spending over two months on the sidelines.

The 23-year-old has only collected 121 minutes of football on the pitch this season.

“Honestly, after a summer in which negotiations for my arrival at Milan had been lengthy, having a problem like this wasn’t ideal,” Jashari told Gazzetta, as quoted by SempreMilan.

“I’d been working with the team for three weeks, I was growing, and I don’t think anyone in my place would have been happy.

“Everyone at Milan wrote to me and made me feel important: my team-mates, the staff, the coach, the directors,” he continued.

“The first three days were difficult from a mental point of view, but after that, I had the chance to go and spend a few weeks with my family in Zug.”

“With a broken bone I couldn’t train, and spending some time with my parents and friends, without forgetting to do physiotherapy, helped me: I didn’t think too much about the injury and I felt calmer.

“Since mid-September, I’ve continued therapy with physiotherapist David, and then I’ve started exercising, first in the gym and then on the sand and pitch. Returning to the group was the final step.”

Jashari joined the Rossoneri after weeks of negotiations last summer and rejected offers from other clubs to move to San Siro.

“I dreamed of being where I am, at a big club,” he said.

“Everyone knows how much I wanted to join Milan. Club Brugge had a lot of contact with other clubs, but I had clear ideas and only saw myself in the Rossoneri shirt.”

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri used to be a central midfielder during his playing career, the same role as Jashari.

“I know, he was a number 10, and that’s why I say he can help me a lot,” said the Milan talent.

“The coach is important, he’s always close to us. Having someone like him gives confidence to the individuals and the locker room. He’s crucial to our success: he has experience and has worked with incredible players. I can learn a lot from someone like him.”

Last summer, Milan made several purchases in central midfield. Aside from Jashari, they also signed Samuele Ricci, Adrien Rabiot and Luka Modric.

“Playing with him [Modric] is incredible for everyone, not just me,” Jashari said.

“I play in the same position as him and can learn a lot: he has exceptional technical skills, but also a fantastic personality, which shows in the way he approaches the players.

“Rabiot has had a huge impact on the team since day one and is important for Milan. He’s got the way he reads the game and the way he plays football,” Jashari concluded.

“You can’t imitate him because everyone has their own qualities and physical characteristics, but you can still learn something from champions like him and Modric and become more complete.”

Tonight, Jashari’s Milan side play Napoli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal.