Denmark vs Finland LIVE: Christian Eriksen ‘was gone’ before medical intervention, team doctor reveals

Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen has confirmed Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest and that “he was gone” prior to being resuscitated.

Eriksen collapsed on Saturday during the first half of Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 match against Finland before being treated on the pitch and taken to hospital.

After it was later confirmed the Inter Milan midfielder was stable, his team-mates agreed to resume the fixture in Copenhagen, with Finland claiming a 1-0 win thanks to Joel Pohjanpalo’s 59th-minute goal.

At a press conference arranged by the Danish Football Federation on Sunday afternoon, Boesen said: “He was gone. We did cardiac resuscitation, it was a cardiac arrest.

“How close were we to losing him? I don’t know, but we got him back after one defib, so that’s quite fast.”

“We don’t have any explanation why it happened. The details about what happened I am not quite sure of because I am not a cardiologist, I will leave that to the experts. I didn’t see it live, only on screens afterwards.”

Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand agreed that the match should not have been completed after the incident, and that the squad will try to use what happened as motivation for their next game against Belgium on Thursday.

“No we should not have played,” said Hjulmand. “We will try tomorrow to establish normality as much as possible. Players have different reactions to shocks and trauma but we will try to get back to normal as much as possible.

“I get the feelings from the players that maybe the time is too short to try to play football again, but maybe we can use it as a force to get together and try to go out and do our best in the next match.

“We will see if we can get ourselves together and play for Christian.”

Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen revealed that Denmark’s players and staff were visited by a psychologist on Saturday night, and in hindsight feels the game should not have resumed.

“I don’t think the right decision was to play the game,” Boesen said. “We have had help from a psychological point of view at the hotel last night.

“Everyone expressed their feelings and how they saw the situation, and everyone was pleased we did this and talked it through.

“We really appreciated the professional help we have had from the outside.”

Joe Morrell has spoken of the disbelief in an “emotional” Wales camp after Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed and was treated on the pitch before being taken to hospital.

Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed that Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during their Euro 2020 game against Finland on Saturday and that “he was gone” prior to being resuscitated.

The Wales players had returned to their Baku hotel following the 1-1 draw with Switzerland when they discovered what happened in Copenhagen.

“It was horrible to hear,” Morrell said. “I got drugs tested after the game, so I was on the way back with a couple of admin staff and the doctor and I heard about it in the car.

“I came back to the hotel a bit later than the lads and the canteen was just silent.

“It was difficult to comprehend and something that puts it all into perspective, someone who is fit and healthy and that happens to them.

“You come in after a game and you’re thinking about the mistakes you’ve made and the things haven’t gone so well. Then you see something like that. It was quite emotional.”

Fans and players watched on in horror as Denmark’s star Christian Eriksen collapsed in their Euro 2020 game against Finland.

Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest and “was gone” before being resuscitated on the pitch at Saturday’s Euro 2020 game, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said on Sunday.

Boesen led the work in giving the player CPR after he collapsed during the game against Finland on Saturday.

“We got him back after one defib. That’s quite fast.”

The Inter Milan midfielder is in stable condition in a Copenhagen hospital.

Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest and “was gone” before being resuscitated on the pitch at Saturday’s Euro 2020 game, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said on Sunday.

Boesen led the work in giving Eriksen CPR after he collapsed during the game against Finland on Saturday.

“We got him back after one defib. That’s quite fast.”

Results of medical tests on Christian Eriksen have been normal so far and his condition remains stable since his collapse during his side’s Euro 2020 opening match against Finland, team doctor Morten Boesen said on Sunday.

“The exams that have been done so far look fine,” Boesen told a news conference.

The Danish players have been in contact with Eriksen via a video conferencing, said Peter Moller, director of Danish football association DBU.

Christian Eriksen is awake in hospital and has sent his greetings to his teammates, the Danish FA said in a new update on Sunday morning after the player’s life was saved on the pitch at the Euro 2020 game between Denmark and Finland.

The Inter Milan midfielder collapsed in the 43rd minute and underwent CPR in front of fans, his family and millions of television viewers.

The Dansk Boldspil-Union (DBU) said the player is receiving further examination at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen.

“This morning we have spoken to Christian Eriksen, who has sent his greetings to his teammates,” it said.

“We would likle to thank everyone for the heartfelt greetings to Christian Eriksen from both fans, players, the royal families from both Denmark and England, international associations, clubs etc.

“We encourage everyone to send their greetings to the Danish FA where we will make sure they are passed on to Christian and his family.”

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin sent his best wishes to Eriksen in the wake of the incident in Copenhagen.

“Moments like this put everything in life into perspective. I wish Christian a full and speedy recovery and pray his family has strength and faith,” a statement read.

“At these times, the unity of the football family is so strong and he and his family carry with them the good wishes and prayers of everyone.

“I heard of fans of both teams chanting his name. Football is beautiful and Christian plays it beautifully.”

The BBC had shown the fixture and issued an apology after images of Eriksen receiving treatment were broadcast before the programme was brought to a premature end.

Presenter Gary Lineker and pundits Cesc Fabregas, Alex Scott and Micah Richards all appeared in total shock when footage cut back to the studio with Scott visibly emotional when asked about the incident.

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: “Everyone at the BBC is hoping Christian Eriksen makes a full recovery.

“We apologise to anyone who was upset by the images broadcast.

“In-stadium coverage is controlled by Uefa as the host broadcaster, and as soon as the match was suspended, we took our coverage off air as quickly as possible.”