Denmark’s Eriksen Looking Forward to ‘Special’ Parken Stadium Return

Football - Denmark Training - Copenhagen, Denmark - March 28, 2022 Denmark's Christian Eriksen during training. (Reuters)
Football - Denmark Training - Copenhagen, Denmark - March 28, 2022 Denmark's Christian Eriksen during training. (Reuters)
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Denmark’s Eriksen Looking Forward to ‘Special’ Parken Stadium Return

Football - Denmark Training - Copenhagen, Denmark - March 28, 2022 Denmark's Christian Eriksen during training. (Reuters)
Football - Denmark Training - Copenhagen, Denmark - March 28, 2022 Denmark's Christian Eriksen during training. (Reuters)

Denmark's Christian Eriksen said he is looking forward to a "special" return to Copenhagen's Parken Stadium on Tuesday and wants to give fans a new memory from the venue where he had a near-fatal heart attack at last year's Euros.

The 30-year-old playmaker, who collapsed on the pitch and received life-saving treatment during Denmark's meeting with Finland in June 2021, is set to play in the Danes' friendly against Serbia.

"I think it's something you can't prepare for," Eriksen told reporters on Monday when asked about the reception he expects.

Eriksen returned to the Denmark team on Saturday and scored with his first touch after coming off the bench at the Johan Cruyff Arena before the Netherlands went on to win 4-2.

"The reception in Holland was very big and my expectation is it is going to be even bigger here. This is the place where it happened and people will see it," Eriksen said.

"Afterwards people will be talking about it, like everything is back to normal. They are going to have a new memory. It's going to be special and I'm looking forward to it."

Eriksen, who was fitted with a device to regulate his heart and resumed his club career with Premier League side Brentford last month, said following the Netherlands game that he was pleased to show he could still play.



South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.