Brentford attacking midfielder, Christian Eriksen has stressed that there is no risk in his return to football after suffering a cardiac arrest almost a year ago.
Recall that on June 12, 2021, Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch when he was playing for his national team, Denmark, in the opening game of Euro 2020 against Finland. After the incident, it was confirmed that he developed cardiac arrest.
Fortunately for him and his football career, Eriksen received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) which is designed to help the operation of his heart for life.
Due to the implant, Inter Milan terminated his contract because laws in Italy don’t permit athletes to play with devices planted in them. Hence, he stayed without a club for months before Brentford decided to give the 30-year-old attacking midfielder a six-month trial.
Since he joined the club on January 31, 2022, the former Tottenham Hotspur star has scored a goal and provided two assists. Christian Eriksen has been more or less a good look charm for the Premier League club as they have recorded victories in the five games the Danish footballer started in.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Christian Eriksen who has played six Premier League games since he joined Brentford earlier this year, said since there is no risk for him to keep playing, he does not have to stop his normal life.
When asked about how he developed a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark, Eriksen said he could not remember how he landed on the pitch and only got to know what happened to him when he got to the hospital.
“I remember getting the throw-in, but obviously I don’t remember falling”, Eriksen told Sky Sports. “I then woke up with people around me, but I don’t know what’s happened until I’m in the hospital.
“For me, if there was a risk, I wouldn’t come back. It was that easy. They did all the testing, I went three months without doing anything, just getting the mind and the family [right], getting used to still being here.
“Then the training started, bit by bit, building up slowly, but at the same time, getting control of what I can control and trying to test the heart. I have an ICD, so if anything did happen, I’m safe.
“But in the end, there’s no risk of me going back to play so there’s no reason for me to stop our normal life because there’s not a doctor saying ‘you shouldn’t do it’, then it’s a completely different conversation with my family. But it was ‘good, we can do it, test it out. All the tests were good and then there was no point of having the thought of not playing again.”
Christian Eriksen to face Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since he left the club
Christian Eriksen joined Tottenham Hotspur on August 30, 2013, from Dutch club Ajax for a transfer fee worth 14.5 million. After spending seven years at the Premier League club, he decided to join an Italian club, Inter Milan on January 28, 2020, for a transfer fee worth €27 million.
In the 2020-2021 season, Eriksen helped Inter Milan to win the Italian title for the first time in ten years but could not continue with the club due to the ICD implanted in him.
Later today, April 23, 2022, at 17:30, he is going to face Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since he left the club in a game that is a must-win for Spurs.
Ahead of the game which will take place at the Brentford Community Stadium, Christian Eriksen told Sky Sports that he could not wait to face his former club again. He said the game would be special.
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be special. First of all, it’s just being back playing football, then there’s always the small bits in between of what is the goal. I’m definitely looking forward to Saturday for sure.”
"It'll always be special to play against Spurs" 🤍
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 23, 2022
Christian Eriksen sits down with Jamie Redknapp to reflect on his return to football, life at Brentford and the prospect of facing his former club Tottenham. 🎬 pic.twitter.com/ZqnoGI6B5k
When asked if he would celebrate if he scores against Tottenham Hotspur tonight, Eriksen said: “Probably not!”
Tottenham Hotspur are currently sitting on the 4th spot on the league table with 57 points in 32 games. They need to win all their remaining league games this season including the game against Brentford to prevent 5th placed Arsenal from overtaking them.
As for Brentford, they are currently sitting comfortably on the 12th spot on the league table with 39 points, eleven points away from the relegation zone.
✨ A MOMENT OF MAGIC ✨
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 29, 2022
Christian Eriksen scores an absolute beauty on his Denmark return! 🇩🇰❤️️pic.twitter.com/8e57o0TLnY
