NIGEL DE JONG is happy to be on the scoresheet and Luca Antonini has revealed why he prefers to face Inter next.
Milan won their first 90-minute long pre-season game, beating Valencia 1-2 at Estadio Mestalla. It was the first time since 2006 that Milan managed to win a friendly on Spanish soil and it was thanks to goals from Robinho and Nigel De Jong.
De Jong has so far been one of the most impressive players in this pre-season as he’s now fully recovered from his Achilles tendon injury and last evening he scored an incredible long-distance goal and had a terrific first half performance.
Highlights: Valencia 1-2 Milan
Valencia-Milan: Official line-ups
“I am very proud about my goal after all I have gone through in the last six months,” De Jong, who was one of La GdS‘ “positives” from yesterday’s game, told Milan’s website. “I expected to have reached this level of fitness considering how hard I have been working at Milanello. I am not thinking too much about either Inter or Chelsea, we’ll see what happens.
“As for the Champions League play-offs, I would rather take it one game at a time. We are coming along well, it is good to see we play as a team and we all fight for each other. Ola John? He is an interesting player, talented, still very young, but I’d rather not talk about him because he is not a Milan player. We’ll see how it goes.” Milan will facing the winner in the Inter and Chelsea game on August 4 at the Met Life stadium in the 2013 Guinness International Champions Cup semi-final.
“Some tiredness was creeping into the legs in the final minutes. I knew we hadn’t defeated a Spanish team in seven years and we saw just how difficult it is,” Luca Antonini said on Saturday. “It is important to work well so we are ready to face the Champions League play-offs. Between Inter and Chelsea I would prefer to face Inter. Why? Because I want to beat them.”
Before the game between Milan and Chelsea or Inter, the Rossoneri will play two Audi Cup games against Manchester City (July 31st) and then one of Sao Paulo and European champions Bayern Munich the next days at the Allianz Arena.
Forza De Jong
That was a really sublime goal by De Jong especially considering that he is a defensive mid-fielder, and his free kick wasn’t bad either… For a player that just came from a lengthy injury, he’s really surpassed many expectations!!
he is getting better.
There is no doubt – at all.
His season was destroyed last season because of his awful injury, but he’s back to business.
I don’t say this just because of the incredible goal, but he’s gonna be awesome for Milan this season. He is a real star, and he will do great things for us in the present and future.
we beat barca last season what is he saying we havent beaten a spanish team in 7 years
The author said “managed to win a friendly”, not an official match like the one with Barcelona.
U failed it too.the author said we have never won on spanish soil for 7 years.both friendly and competitive.
We did beat a spanish team on spanish soil, madrid 2-3 Milan, back when leo was coach and pato scored a brace remember
The author meant friendly btw ” It was the first time since 2006 that Milan managed to win a friendly on Spanish soil “
yestaday i saw hw powerful petagna is,no wonder top clubs wnts him. am impress with d performance of poli n christante’s got d quality to a milan playa.forza milano
Forza Nigel!!!
He is was super yesterday. The best from our pre-season so far!
Forza Milan!!!
On on dere soil@xanxus
De Jong was top of the game, he needs to continue like this.. Poli as first time impressed me yesterday and I am glad that I am wrong on him so far.
De Jong has really been working hard in the last few months, now a free kick taker? Wow, I didnt see that coming. And oh! Antonini speaks as if he’s the greatest Milan player ever, talking about ‘I wanna beat them’ lol. That’s prolly the Milan DNA talking not the playing skills lol.
We did very good job in this match ,but i dont understand why was that too deep defending at the last 15 min. of the match .. Valencia realy could level by the end..but De jong,Poli,Robinho did fu..ing real performances. Forza MIlan!
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha Antonini hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! Best defender we have guys hahahahaha……but de jong my man wata tank you are brah congratz for your goal:):):)
Forza De Jong, hope you continue with this great form, i know milan is destiny with trophy this season….. Forza milan!
Take it easy folks! This is preseason, so he is not yet destined for greatness tis season. Imo he needs to perform a lot better than last season (he did play quite a few matches as i recall) tomdeserve just a pinch of the praise that i s lavishe upom him because of a cracker goal in a friendly! I hope he does well this season cause he is very important at dm. He needs to be less rash with the ball and dive less into tackles compared tomlast season. I hope he was getting used to serie a but… Read more »
I cant edit anything on my ipad so sorry for my spelling!