AC Milan to make Kjaer Captain after helping to Save Eriksen
AC Milan are thinking about making Simon Kjaer their captain, after a groundswell of backing following his heroics in helping save Christian Eriksen’s life.
Kjaer’s Denmark teammate Eriksen collapsed during the game with Finland at Euro 2020 on Saturday evening, and the centre back was one of the first players on the scene.
The 32-year-old made sure his countryman hadn’t swallowed his tongue and then began CPR until the medical staff arrived on the scene.
The hashtag #KjaerCapitano went viral on social media from Milan fans, following the incident, and according to reports, they may get their wish.
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the club have been overwhelmed by the support for the defender and coach Stefano Pioli and his team are due to discuss the captaincy, with Kjaer considered for the role.
Fellow centre back Alessio Romagnoli is currently the club captain but the Italian has seen his game time reduced under Pioli.
Gianluigi Donnarumma may have been favourite to take the armband from Romagnoli but the keeper has left the club with his contract now having expired.
Franck Kessie and Davide Calabria are also in the conversation to be captain, but Kjaer’s heroics and the backing of the fans could sway the manager’s decision.
The defender is already the national-team captain and he showed exactly why towards the end of the first half at the weekend.
As well as his medical nous, the former Sevilla defender was praised for getting the players in a circle, to give the medical staff privacy from fans and cameras, and for consoling Eriksen’s partner on the sidelines.
Kjaer was on the pitch as Joel Pohjanpalo scored the only goal of the game for Finland, when the players returned to finish the match just a couple of hours later, before being subbed off shortly after.
It was a tough, emotional game for both sides to play out and Peter Schmeichel revealed that it wasn’t, as originally thought, the players’ decision to restart the game.
Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg missed a penalty late in the game that would have earned a much-deserved draw.
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The team next face Belgium on Thursday before playing Russia next Monday and, despite the loss, still have a chance of progressing past the group stage.