The Dane meets his former club Tottenham for the first time in the Premier League. In Brentford, Eriksen dared a new start after his severe stroke of fate – and inspires his new team.
The Premier League duel between FC Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur (Saturday, from 6.30 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online) should give you goosebumps. This is less due to the table constellation or a particularly pronounced rivalry between the west and north Londoners, but solely to one person: Christian Eriksen.
The 30-year-old was under contract with Spurs from 2013 to 2020 and reached the final of the Champions League with the club in 2019. Eriksen then ended up with the “Bees” via the top Italian club Inter Milan – but the initial decisive factor was a stroke of fate that kept the world in suspense.
The European Championship that changed everything
European Championship 2021, Denmark’s first group game against Finland: Eriksen collapses on the field just before half-time without any external influence. Suffers cardiac arrest. Has yet to be revived on the lawn. Then immediately taken to the hospital. The players on the pitch burst into tears, spectators in the stadium and on screens around the world are shocked. Fear with Eriksen.
Denmark national team: Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest. (Source: Ritzau Scanpix/imago images)
It will be hours before the first update on the midfielder’s condition. Hours full of uncertainty, full of hope and fear. Then a sigh of relief: Eriksen is conscious again. He was said to have been dead for five minutes. Later, a defibrillator is put in for him, just in case.
And this intervention has consequences: The Italian health authority decides in October 2021 that Eriksen is no longer allowed to play in Serie A. Inter and the professional agree on a contract termination in December 2021 after two seasons, 49 competitive appearances and the 2021 championship.
Eriksen celebrated the 2020/21 championship with Inter. (Source: Nicolo Campo/imago images)
New jersey, same pro
end of career? No way: Six months after the collapse, he joins the team training at his youth club Odense BK. And signs just a month later at Brentford until the end of the season.
After 259 days, Christian Eriksen is making his comeback on February 26, 2022. Comes on in the 52nd minute in the game against Newcastle United with the number 21 on his back. The fact that the hosts lost the game 0-2 in the end is completely forgotten by the comeback fairy tale – which gets its next chapter just a few weeks later when Eriksen also returns to the Danish national team.
Brentford celebrates in their 4-1 win over Chelsea. (Source: Focus Images / imago images)
Since then, the strategist has made his way into the starting XI and has contributed one goal and two assists in six games. Notably, since Eriksen’s return, Brentford have only lost one game (1-2 at Leicester City). The Bees were able to win against Norwich, Burnley, West Ham, Watford and even Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea. The Dane really inspired the team.
Eriksen and the twelfth-placed team now meet his former club Tottenham on matchday 34.
Will there be a return?
And maybe there is even more to the story: According to information from “The Sun” and “The Times” the “Spurs” are dealing with a return of Eriksen. Head coach Antonio Conte is apparently not averse: “Eriksen is definitely part of Tottenham’s history. Coming back here would be a good opportunity for the club,” said the Italian to “Sky Sports”.
Christian Eriksen in the Tottenhamer dress. (Source: Sportimage/imago images)
But his current coach Thomas Frank is also open to staying in Brentford. He could imagine another season with the 30-year-old and wants to keep the Dane. Whatever Eriksen chooses, one thing is certain: he will remain in the football world. And today in the game between Brentford and Tottenham continues to write his special story.