Peter Schmeichel backs son Kasper to thrive on penalty pressure at Euros
Peter Schmeichel says son Kasper will be ready for penalties if needed when Denmark take on England in the Euro 2020 semifinals on Wednesday, warning the Danes should not be underestimated.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper was part of the Danish team that stunned the world in 1992 when they won the European Championship for the first and only time after receiving a late call-up to the tournament when the former Yugoslavia were disqualified.
Schmeichel senior kept a clean sheet against England in a Group One stalemate but more crucially was able to deny Marco van Basten from the spot in a 5-4 penalty shoot-out success over the Netherlands in the last four before he shut out Germany in the final to help his country claim silverware.
“I am sure he would feel the same as I did – that it is yet another challenge,” the 57-year-old told ITV when asked how Leicester goalkeeper Kasper would feel about penalties.
“You have to deal with that and it is part of the job you’ve chosen to do. You know how significant it is and how big it is but at the end of the day you can only do so much as a goalkeeper and he will be prepared for it.
“I think one thing he will think of is the last time Denmark was in the European Championship semifinals, Denmark did win on penalties so he can bring that into it.”
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England are favourites to progress at Wembley on Wednesday and reach a first-ever European Championship final but Schmeichel warned Gareth Southgate’s side not to underestimate Denmark, who have recovered from the trauma of Christian Eriksen’s on-pitch cardiac arrest to reach the last four.
“You have to realise you are playing a good team when you reach the semifinal,” he said. “Any team you play will be a quality team, there is no doubt about that.
“We could have played Italy or Spain, they are equally as strong but I think what we have proven in our campaign is that we are a strong team as well and we can be a danger to anyone.”