It was a great experience for AZ midfielders Tijjani Reijnders and Riechedly Bazoer unforgettable night against Dundee United (7-0). Reijnders scored two hits and thus gives his business card. Bazoer made his debut at AZ and is knocking on the door for the first time. “There is a lot of competition in the team and I think that keeps everyone on their toes,” said Bazoer.
With Jordy Clasie, Dani de Wit, Tijjani Reijnders and Riechedly Bazoer, trainer Pascal Jansen suddenly has four high-quality midfielders at his disposal. And that while there are only three places to divide. Although Bazoer has played centrally at the back for a long time at his old club Vitesse, he has been emphatically brought in for the midfield at AZ. “I can handle all three positions in midfield,” says Bazoer.
Reijnders
Bazoer was immediately after the departure of Fredrik Midtsjø to Alkmaar. In the preparation and in the first official matches, Tijjani Reijnders had already claimed that place in midfield. With his two goals against Dundee United, the 24-year-old midfielder was once again important. He saw Bazoer come in too. “That’s a good competitor,” Reijnders says about his teammate.
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Clubless
The last game Bazoer played was at the end of last season in the final of the play-offs (AZ – Vitesse). Since then, the former Ajax player had no club and had to wait a while until the bullet was through the church. “I have never experienced this,” says Bazoer, who also had options abroad.” But it felt good at AZ and so he signed a contract until the summer of 2025 in Alkmaar.
AZ will play the second league match against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday afternoon. That match can be heard live on NH Radio. Last weekend the Alkmaarders won 2-0 against Go Ahead Eagles. The first meeting in the Conference League play-offs awaits next Thursday. Then the home game against Gil Vicente awaits.