Antonio Conte underlined his happiness with Christian Eriksen’s return to football following his cardiac arrest last summer.
The pair worked together for 18 months at Inter before the Italian coach left at the end of last season. The Danish midfielder was expected to continue with the Nerazzurri but was forced to terminate his contract after suffering the cardiac arrest, as Serie A rules forbid players who have had a defibrillator or pacemaker fitted from competing.
Speaking in a press conference, Conte discussed Eriksen’s return to action. The Dane joined Brentford on a free transfer in January and has since returned for his national team.
“First of all I’m very happy to see him play football again, because don’t forget in June it was terrible, the images were terrible for everybody.
“We suffered a lot for him, for his family. I had the opportunity to see him when he had just arrived in Brentford, I had the opportunity to speak with him and his family.
“We’re talking about not only an important player but especially a great person, a great man. I wish him and his family the best for the present and the future. To see him again, to meet him on Saturday for a game it will be a pleasure for me.
“It’s incredible because not many times this happens what happens and to see him again play football makes me very happy, because I know that football is life. To have this opportunity is great for him and his family because now they come back to have a normal life.”
Conte and Eriksen initially struggled to click following the Dane’s arrival in January 2020 but things improved in the tail end of their second season together and the former Tottenham man became an important cog in the Inter machine. He scored eight goals and provided three assists in 60 appearances for the club.
🎙 “To meet him tomorrow for a game will be a pleasure for me”
Antonio Conte on Christian Eriksen 💙 pic.twitter.com/1x4V0qRrz6
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 21, 2022