Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand insists there was no pressure from UEFA to resume their Euro 2020 clash against Finland on the same day as the horror incident involving Christian Eriksen.
The contest in Copenhagen was marred by the shocking scenes which saw the midfielder collapse on the pitch with no one around him.
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Thankfully, the Inter Milan star appears to be on the road to recovery with Eriksen in a stable condition in hospital.
The surprise decision was taken to resume the match less than two hours after Eriksen collapsed, which Denmark went on to lose 1-0. But Hjulmand insists there was no external pressure on him and his players.
Hjulmand told the media: “First of all, if it gets emotional, it’s been a tough night. We are all reminded of what the most important thing in life is – to have valuable relationships, people we’re close to, our family and our friends.
“We have a group of players that I cannot praise enough. I couldn’t be prouder of those people who took such good care of each other. He is one of my very dear friends, the way the players talked in the dressing room to decide to not do anything before we knew Christian was conscious and OK.
“We had two options to play the game [today] or tomorrow at 12pm and everyone agreed to play today. You can’t play a game with such feelings. We tried to win. It was incredible they managed to go out and try to play the second half.
“Honestly, there were players out there that were completely done. Emotionally done and emotionally exhausted.
“There was no pressure from UEFA to play tonight… honestly it was better to get it over with.”
However, the decision to resume the match on Saturday didn’t sit well with Gabby Agbonlahor, who said it should have happened on Sunday.
Agbonlahor said on the Sports Bar: “That would have messed me up.
“I was watching the game and I was distraught. Imagine being one of those players!
“It would have been so difficult to put in a performance. They could have played it tomorrow.
“Everything about the game… if that was me, I would have been like, ‘we shouldn’t be out there, we shouldn’t be even kicking a ball, this isn’t a Euros game’.”
