Euro 2020: ‘Things we dreamed of as kids, everything we’ve been through’- Schmeichel says Denmark going for win v Czechs | Football News

What a turnaround Denmark have staged at Euro 2020. After losing their first two matches and surviving Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest scare, the Danes won two on the trot to find themselves in the quarterfinals. On Saturday, they will face Czech Republic, hoping to repeat the feat of 1992, when they won the European Championship in stellar fashion.

“We are not done yet and we are going to attack tomorrow with the same attitude and hunger – the gold is far away right now, but the hunger is great,” team captain Simon Kjaer told a news conference on Friday.

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Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, whose father Peter kept goal for the 1992 team, said motivations abounded.

“The things we dreamed of as kids, and everything we’ve been through as a team. The love for the national team has grown bigger and bigger,” he said.

“We built momentum under (previous coach) Age (Hareide), we could not imagine how crazy it would be. We want to continue to make the country and the families proud. This is not going to stop – tomorrow, we go to war.”

Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand, before the start of the tournament, that his wards would draw inspiration from the country’s 1992 triumph and ahead of their quarterfinals clash, he said that they were only aiming for thing- the victory.

“We have two dreams – we want to win something and help inspire and excite. We can feel the energy from all over Denmark, from young and old,” he told reporters.

“It provides motivation and we have a huge inner hunger. That’s how the whole team is. And we know it’s about winning it all – we have always said that.”

Schmeichel said he had not made any special preparations to deal with Czech striker Patrik Schick, who has netted three goals so far at Euro 2020, including a lob from almost halfway against Scotland.

“I have not analysed Schick. I prepare in the same way no matter who I play against. I watch football and know what the teams can do, but it does not matter who hits the ball, because if they hit it right, it can go in,” he said.

(With inputs from Reuters)