Eight months after his cardiac arrest at the Euro, the Danish midfielder of Brentford, Christian Eriksen, replayed for the first time in competition on Saturday by coming into play in the English Championship against Newcastle. The Dane, who has been living with a defibrillator since this accident on June 12 against Finland at the Euro, came into play to a long ovation from the public, in the 52nd minute of the match. Several banners and messages in his honor were visible in the audience.
A memorable ovation in the 52nd minute
Brentford, struggling to stay, trailed 2-0 at home when the Dane came into play 30 years old, and evolved to ten against eleven after the exclusion of Josh Dasilva. “It’s a great day for all of us, but especially for Christian and his family,” his coach Thomas Frank announced on Friday, promising that Eriksen would have at least a few minutes of play on Saturday.
The Dane had signed up with the English club on the last day of the winter transfer window at the end of January, and had already played a few minutes with his new club in a friendly match. Eriksen had been forced to terminate his contract with Inter Milan, his former club, this type of device being deemed incompatible with the practice of professional football in Italy, which is not the case in England.
“It was a special day. Everyone was there, my family, my parents, my children, my mother-in-law and a few doctors who helped me. What they went through is harder than what I went through. Brentford took good care of me. Everyone is happy for me and helped me, ”reacted the Dane, who will now try to help his club, 15th in the Premier League, to maintain itself.