Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was full of praise for Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders following his side’s 4-0 victory over Scotland in an international friendly on Friday evening, insisting that ‘he can’t be left out of the Oranje’.
Reijnders opened the scoring for the Netherlands after 40 minutes at the Johan Cruyff Arena with thunderous, driven effort, which sailed into the upper corner of the net. The Rossoneri midfielder also provided an inch-perfect assist for teammate Donyell Malen approaching the end of the 90.
What Koeman said about Reijnders
Though the Netherlands came away with a dominant scoreline, Koeman was not overly impressed with his team’s collective performance.
Reijnders, however, was the one player the Dutch coach singled out for praise during his post-match media duties.
Koeman believes that Reijnders has become a ‘great player’ in a ‘very short space of time’. Outlets in the Netherlands suggest that the Milan man is practically guaranteed a spot in the Netherlands squad for the upcoming European Championships in Germany this summer.
“The way he plays, he plays so easily,” Koeman said of Reijnders in conversation with Dutch outlet NOS.
NOS asked Koeman if Reijnders would make an ideal partner for Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong in the Netherlands midfield.
“They’re both light-footed, as we say. They can both accelerate well with the ball.
“Tijjani has become a great player in a very short space of time. He can’t be left out of the Oranje.”
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