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regular-article-logo Tuesday, 24 December 2024

Euro 2020: Danes face Welsh ambition

Denmark will take on Wales in the round of 16 at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday, a stadium where Eriksen is fondly remembered by Ajax fans as a stylish midfield playmaker from 2010-13

Agencies Amsterdam Published 26.06.21, 02:32 AM
Christian Eriksen

Christian Eriksen Twitter/@Inter_en

After three emotional European Championship matches in Copenhagen, Denmark will next play in a city that Christian Eriksen once called home.

The Danes will take on Wales in the round of 16 at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday, a stadium where Eriksen is fondly remembered by Ajax fans as a stylish midfield playmaker from 2010-13 before his transfer to Tottenham.

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The Danish national team has long been influenced by the Dutch masters at Ajax Amsterdam, and plenty of Danish players like Michael Laudrup, Morten Olsen, as a manager, and current striker Kasper Dolberg have thrived in the capital.

However, the Danes will have to do without the fanatical support that they received from the crowd at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. There will be no such backing in Amsterdam as fewer than 2,000 tickets have been made available to Danish fans who want to attend the game.

“It means a lot to have that support and they have been great to play for, but it does not change much in our plan,” Dolberg said.

While Denmark are hitting the road for the first time at a tournament that is being played in 11 cities across Europe, Wales have had a tougher travel schedule. The team based itself in Baku, Azerbaijan, where they played their first two matches before facing Italy in Rome.

“It’s not been easy because we have had to go to Baku and then travel to Italy. We are now going to have to go to Amsterdam,” Wales coach Rob Page said. “On paper it sounds like a great idea to have it all around Europe but logistically it is an absolute nightmare.”

Wales will once again rely on Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale for the creative spark they will need to break down the Danes, as well as the formidable long throw-ins of Conor Roberts.

Ethan Ampadu is suspended after his sending-off in the 0-1 defeat against Group A winners Italy and coach Rob Page is likely to revert to a flat back four after experimenting with a 3-4-3 line-up against the flying Italians.

“We’re all ambitious,” Page told the Uefa website. “I am as a coach, they are as players. We want to go as far as we can. We know that on our day we can give anybody a good game. We know that on our day we can hurt teams as well.”

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand is again likely to deploy 20-year-old winger Mikkel Damsgaard, who opened the scoring against Russia, in the playmaking role in place of Eriksen, but it will take another sterling collective effort if they are to advance.

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