Simon Kjaer tells his Milan teammates to relish the Champions League quarter-final with Napoli. ‘You never know when this opportunity will come around again. Evenings like this are why we play football.’
It kicks off on Tuesday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
Ismael Bennacer’s goal at San Siro has given the Rossoneri a slender 1-0 advantage going into the second leg, although the scrapping of the away goals rule means if the tie is level on aggregate, it will go straight to extra time.
“We are very happy to be here, we deserved this chance and last time we were in this stadium, it went well, so we hope to repeat it,” said the Dane in his press conference.
“We will meet Osimhen, just as we do other strikers. It is never just the work for one defender, it is teamwork and the utmost respect.”
Kjaer is the most experienced defender in the squad and was asked what advice he had given the younger elements in the team.
“You never know when this opportunity will come around again. These are evenings that stay with you for the rest of your life, whether good or bad. This is why we play football.
“The other night at San Siro was one of the best experiences of my career with our fans. It will be different tomorrow, but it gives you a sensation that you cannot find anywhere else.”
Kjaer arrived at Milan in January 2020 and Milan had not played in the Champions League for seven years, but in April 2023 they are on the verge of the semi-finals.
“It has been one of my childhood dreams to play for Milan. The journey we had with this squad and coach was a dream and I honestly did not expect it to be so fast. I think one of the things that made the difference was the coach, who every day pushed us to keep going forward and focusing on the next target, what we can achieve.
“I will admit, none of us thought we’d be here just three years later.”
Curiously, only coach Stefano Pioli and defender Kjaer came to the Stadio Maradona this evening for the press conference, leaving the rest of the squad behind at the hotel.
A walkabout was not considered necessary because Milan played here in Serie A on April 2 and won 4-0, so are familiar with the arena.