Christian Eriksen confident ability ‘has not changed’ as he prepares for Premier League return

Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP11 February 2022

Christian Eriksen says he is determined to show he is the same player as before his cardiac arrest and prove it is possible to play top-level football with a heart-starter.

Eriksen was unveiled as a Brentford player on Friday, nearly eight months to the day after he collapsed on the pitch at Parken Stadium during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland.

The 29-year-old was unable to play on with Inter Milan after being fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device, which are banned in Italy’s Serie A, and was released from his contract before joining the Bees as a free agent on a six-month deal.

He says he believed his career was over but is now motivated by proving he is the same player who lit up the Premier League with Tottenham.

“Being in the ambulance, I even told the medical people: ‘Keep my boots, I won’t need them’,” Eriksen said.

“I said the same to Sabrina, my fiancee, a few days later. And then I also told her it might change, if everything goes well. It changed quickly but it was a long process to be where I am today, to get the full green light and really be convinced that I am able to play again.

“I felt from the beginning of this that I need to prove that you can play with an ICD, if something that bad has happened. You can return to normal life afterwards. That is more motivation for me, to show I am capable of that.

“Of course I have not forgotten how to play football and my body is still the same and my vision and my ability will still be the same. That has not changed.

“I want to show that I am still the same player as before.

“My ICD is here for my protection,” Eriksen added. “It is in because, if anything would happen to me, there is no need for a defibrillator because I will have my own. It is really just extra security. I am more protected here than you guys!

“And that is how I feel. I feel very protected with it. I feel normal. I don’t feel it in any annoying way. Only going through the airport, I have to go around instead of going through a scanner.”

Mark D Fuller/obfcp.co.uk

There is no date set for Eriksen’s debut, although he will play in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Monday to continue building up his fitness.

He trained with the Bees for the first time on Monday and has also spent time working with his former club Ajax since being released by Inter in mid-December.

He acknowledges that his collapse will never be completely forgotten but hopes in time the conversation will return to his performances.

“As long as I would wish it, it will never be forgotten what has happened,” Eriksen continued. “I do hope that it has brought something positive with it, that a lot of people have focused on it and there are a lot of extra defibs to help other people.

“With time it is definitely going to be about the football and not the guy who did something last summer. It will be about the next game. ‘He can’t pass the ball’ or ‘he can pass the ball’. He missed this big chance, he is bad, and so on. I can’t wait to go back to that.

“When I trained at Young Ajax, one of the first few sessions with the group, that was one of the first time I thought, ‘Oh, football boots on, teammates around me, I can pass the ball and play the ball - not only to myself but somebody else!’

Mark D Fuller/obfcp.co.uk

“Then of course walking into Brentford, it felt professional in the first day. It’s getting our boots on in an environment that is 100 percent football. Everyone is here for football, and that’s it. Getting a contract of course was a big part of it. I was very please, I’m very happy that Brentford gave the me the opportunity to play here.

“I would say before I was not planning to come back to England. That was not on my mind. After the incident it became clearer and clearer the longer it went on that I couldn’t play in Italy because of the ICD and my mindset changed. That if it couldn’t be Italy, it would be England and the Premier League.

“And being in a London club, also for the family, was the perfect mix for me as a footballer and as a family man.

“Afterwards of course, I’ve seen how the club reacts, the people around, the fans, the media - it helps and makes it even bigger. But I’m pleased. I’m happy that Brentford gave me the chance to be able to sit here today and be speaking about a game hopefully soon.”

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