Lasse Schöne officially started his second period as a player of NEC on Wednesday. The people of Nijmegen have started preparing for the new season and have the necessary experience with the Dane. Schöne has been enjoying a holiday in Ibiza in recent weeks, having just arrived when the drama surrounding his former team-mate and good friend Christian Eriksen unfolded. From his holiday address, Schöne spoke to Eriksen and a number of players from the Danish national team.
“I didn’t sleep for two nights,” Schöne says in conversation with ESPN back when Eriksen went into cardiac arrest in the game against Finland. “I had just arrived in Ibiza. We arrived at the residence at five o’clock and the match started at six o’clock. You are at a great distance, but it did have a significant impact. I have unfortunately experienced it once before (with Abdelhak Nouri at Ajax, ed.) And it can also just go wrong. The longer we stayed there, the more difficult it became. I had a lot of trouble with it.”
Schöne was in contact with Eriksen a day after the terrible moment. “Actually, that was the moment when I was reassured a bit,” the fifty-time international of Denmark continues. “No, those were not a nice two days. It was a relief that I had contact with him. I played with him for ten years. Not only with the Danish team, but also with Ajax. You know his family. You are happy that he is still alive and can be with his family. Then football is just an afterthought. I don’t see it so much as a football player, but also as a person. It was not easy to watch.”
While Eriksen was being treated in the hospital in Copenhagen, the Danish team was assisted by psychologists. “I have also been in contact with guys from the Danish team,” said Schöne. “They were very close. That had a considerable impact on those boys. I also admire it enormously, the way they dealt with it. Also the last game (against Russia, ed.), how they are playing “I think they have drawn a lot of strength from the support from all over the world. It is nice to see how football brings people together. It has helped them a lot. But everyone is still very shocked.”
Football zone keeps you informed about everything about EURO 2020
Curious about the current position, the competition program and much more European Championship news? Click here!
Related
More sports news