Tuesday. 03.12.2024

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand has expressed confidence his side can defeat Wales to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 and continue their roller-coaster tournament.

"I think we have enough quality to beat Wales," Hjulmand said Friday in Amsterdam, a day before his side open the last 16 ties.

"We had enough crazy days in Copenhagen with emotion for a complete life," said Hjulmand. "We're playing in Christian Eriksen's old homeland and we will give everything."

Eriksen joined Ajax aged 16 at the start of a career which took him to Tottenham Hotspur and then Inter Milan where he won the Serie A title just a few weeks ago.

He captained his country into the Euros but had a cardiac arrest in their opening match with Finland to kick-start an astonishing spell for Denmark.

That first 1-0 loss to the Finns was followed by a 2-1 defeat to world number one Belgium but riding a powerful wave of support as Eriksen recovered, Denmark crushed Russia 4-1 to reach the knock-out phase.

4,400 Danes to Amsterdam

Various other Danes have played for Ajax including Lasse Schoene and Viktor Fischer in the recent past and older greats Michael Laudrup and Jesper Olsen.

"We Danes have a great connection to the city and the club," said Hjulmand while goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said he "hoped they [neutral fans] support us and not Wales."

Around 4,400 Danes are expected to support their team in Amsterdam as they can travel to the Netherlands for short trips without the need for a coronavirus quarantine.

Wales fans in contrast are effectively banned from traveling into the Netherlands from the Britain over Delta variant concerns.

Denmark coach Hjulmand: "We have the quality to beat Wales"