Simon Kjaer has opened up about the serious injury he suffered during the Scudetto season, which kept him on the sidelines for large parts of it.
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Kjaer was an instrumental part of Milan’s Scudetto campaign in 2021-22. With his experience and quality, he helped the Rossoneri get off to a cracking start, with only two games lost in the first 14 games, along with two draws.
Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury in the game against Genoa and missed the rest of the season. However, even when he wasn’t on the pitch, he continued to support the team from the sidelines and remained closed at Milanello.
Speaking to MilanVibes, the Dane shared his thoughts on the Milan experience as a whole and the role that he had. Furthermore, he opened up about the injury, stating that it came just as he was entering his prime. Those of us who saw him before the injury can only confirm that.
What was it like at Milan?
“I spent eight years with the national team as captain, and I also had a team leader role at Milan alongside Calabria and others. I knew I needed everyone. One of my greatest strengths was the feeling that I could help everyone become 5% better, creating an atmosphere that encouraged progress.
“I knew I couldn’t play alone; I needed the team to win. The team always has to come first. The important thing is to create a group and reach the top together. Without the team, we are nothing and we cannot win.
“When you’re in a locker room, you join a group and create a dream with that group. It’s one of the best things about playing football.”
The injury during Genoa-Milan…
“An injury is a stage in a player’s career, and that injury against Genoa halted my prime. I was a candidate for the Ballon d’Or, finishing eighteenth. But it’s a journey: I had this injury at an age when it was both very positive and very negative.
“Negative because at 30 your body reacts more slowly, but it taught me what it means to be consistent and work 15-16 hours a day towards a goal. It taught me a lot.
“Then we won the Scudetto, I always felt like I had won it, just like the others. Of course, if I got to choose, I would have avoided it.”
On winning the Scudetto…
“It gives me chills. It was one of the best days of my life, emotions that will stay with me forever. AC Milan was a dream, the Scudetto was a dream.”