Eriksen set to make emotional Brentford debut

(FILES) This file photo taken on February 11, 2022 shows Brentford’s Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen holding up a Brentford shirt as he is introduced to members of the media at a photocall inside Brentford Community Stadium in London, after the Danish International joined the Bees on January’s transfer deadline day. – Eight months after his heart attack in the middle of the UEFA EURO 2020 Group B football match between Denmark and Finland, Denmark’s Christian Eriksen is aiming for a return to action on February 26, 2022 with Brentford in the English league. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)

Brentford manager Thomas Frank has confirmed Christian Eriksen will make his first competitive appearance since suffering a cardiac arrest last year when the Dane is given his debut against Newcastle on Saturday.

Frank confirmed on Friday that Eriksen would play some part this weekend at the Brentford Community Stadium after proving his fitness in two behind-closed-doors friendlies.

Eriksen’s brush with death occurred while he was playing for Denmark against Finland in the European Championship in June.

“Christian will be in the squad and he will get on the pitch tomorrow,” Frank told reporters. “It is a big day for all of us, but especially Christian and his family.

“When he is in training, it is really remarkable the things he has been doing.”

Eriksen was released by Inter Milan after his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 due to health regulations in Italy that forbid players with implantable cardioverter defibrillators from featuring in Serie A.

But the former Tottenham star was determined to get back in action once he got the go-ahead from medical staff.

Eriksen trained with the reserves at his former club Ajax in January before linking up