Jashari: ‘I missed playing football’ after return to AC Milan starting 11

Ardon Jashari is relishing his return to the AC Milan starting XI, albeit in a friendly match, after ‘four or five months’ dreaming of this moment. ‘I missed playing football.’

The midfielder has supported the Rossoneri since a childhood visit to San Siro, so when he found out that they were interested in signing him this summer, he had his heart set on this transfer.

Once the negotiations with Club Brugge finally reached a breakthrough, completing the move for €36m plus add-ons on August 6, his dream turned into a nightmare with a serious injury in training.

Jashari played as a substitute in one Serie A game and one Coppa Italia fixture, but today’s 3-2 friendly defeat to Virtus Entella was organised largely to give him playing time from the start.

“It has been a long, long wait to arrive here, first of all with the long transfer window, then the injury, so after four or five months now everything came together I was on the pitch from the beginning in a friendly game and it was a great feeling,” Jashari told Milan TV.

“It is always difficult when you are out for a long time to come back, especially on this type of pitch. I missed playing football, and this was the most important thing today, to have the feeling again, to do some good things with the ball.”

The Switzerland international is well aware that this game was organised largely to give him the opportunity to play for a consistent period of time.

“This game was also a chance for me to come back, so I thank Mister Allegri and the players. When I was injured, I had a lot of messages, also when I was training alone at Milanello, I had a really warm squad behind me,” continued the 23-year-old.

“Now I hope very soon to be back on the pitch in a competition and give my best. I want to bring my best performances on the pitch, to bring confidence to the team as an individual and of course the most important thing is to win the games.

“At the end, we’ll see what it is possible to achieve together.”