2 years ago
Christian Eriksen will make an emotional return to Parken Stadium on Tuesday, just over nine months after suffering a cardiac arrest on the same turf.
Last year, the Danish midfielder collapsed during his country's Euro 2020 match against Finland in Copenhagen, and he received life-saving treatment on the field.
Eriksen made his international debut in spectacular fashion on Saturday, scoring with his first touch in Denmark's 4-2 loss to the Netherlands in Amsterdam. The 30-year-old received a hero's welcome from the Dutch crowd while playing at his former club's stadium, Ajax.
Eriksen scores with his first touch against the Netherlands on March 26, 2022 at the Johan-Cruijff ArenA.
Despite this, a friendly against Serbia on Tuesday, 290 days after his collapse, has the 30-year-old eyeing an even more "special" return, and the chance to give his home fans newer, fonder memories.
"I don't think you can prepare for it," Eriksen told reporters.
"The reception in Holland was fantastic, and I expect it to be even better here." "This is where it happened, and people will see it." People will be talking about it after that, as if everything is back to normal. They will develop a new memory. It'll be something special, and I'm looking forward to it."
Recovery time is short.
Eriksen's homecoming on Tuesday would be another milestone in what has been a fast and triumphant journey since his cardiac arrest.
Eriksen left Italian club Inter Milan to train with former club Odense Boldklub in Denmark after being fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) device, a type of pacemaker intended to prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt of electricity to restore regular heart rhythm.
Eriksen stated in January that his heart was "not an impediment" to his desire to return to football or compete in the World Cup in Qatar in December, and he moved a step closer to that goal when he signed with English Premier League club Brentford later that month.
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