It has not been the easiest of seasons for Simon Kjaer from a physical point of view but he now seems to be an added resource for Stefano Pioli to rely upon.
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MilanNews recall how Kjaer ruptured his cruciate ligament last year and was out for more than six months, missing 29 games in total, and given that he was 33 at the time it could have realistically put an end to his career at the top level.
He struggled also due to muscle injuries that have made him less available than he would like, while Malick Thiaw then seemed to have taken a starting spot, but the recent performances have shown the Dane still has something to give.
He did an excellent job in the Champions League against Tottenham in the first leg but Pioli continued to go with Kalulu-Tomori, Thiaw-Tomori or a three-man defence, yet for the 4-0 win against Napoli Kjaer came back in as the system reverted to a 4-2-3-1.
He played another great match against Napoli in the Champions League in the first leg of the quarter-final clash, before skipping the game against Bologna and then doing well in the return leg at the Maradona.
Kjaer is a leader without the armband, a serious and honest professional who respected the choices of Pioli and let his performances on the pitch do the talking.
The former Wolfsburg and Roma man seems to be back to his best as a vocal marshal of the rearguard, and he has returned to being an added value for Stefano Pioli’s team and for the entire squad.
