COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Denmark’s Andreas Christensen believes his side’s Premier League players have what it takes to stop England striker Harry Kane and silence Wembley Stadium when they meet in their Euro 2020 semi-final on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old defender’s club side Chelsea have a good record against the England No. 9 and Denmark may also gain from the insight of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who is a team mate of Kane’s at Tottenham.
“We know his qualities, and everyone has an idea of what we can do to stop him,” Christensen told a news conference.
“Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg also knows him, and it may be that he can share some things. All football players have their habits, and we must take advantage of them.”
Kane, who scored against Germany in the last 16 and added a brace in England’s 4-0 quarter-final win over Ukraine, presents a tough physical challenge for the Danes.
“He is good with his feet and he is one of the best finishers in football,” Christensen said.
“I react a lot on instinct. He is very big, so it is hard to get into his body, but he also has great qualities with his feet, so you should not get too close either.”
HJULMAND’S PLAN
Despite playing for more modest clubs scattered throughout Europe, the Danes are not intimidated by England’s star-studded lineup of household names.
“I feel like we have the qualities to play against everyone. As a team, I would not say they are that much better,” Christensen said.
After masterminding his side’s remarkable comeback from losing Christian Eriksen to a cardiac arrest in the opening game, coach Kasper Hjulmand is working on a plan to stop England’s forward line.
“We’re aware of Harry Kane, but you cannot place an order to wrap a player up. We know all about how they attack, so we’re creating some structures to stop the English attacks,” he told reporters.
The game will take place in front of 60,000 fans at Wembley, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, only Danes resident in the United Kingdom will be able to attend.
“We’re going to be outnumbered, but we are happy and we try to be as calm as we can. We have shown that we have the quality to play against the best. It’s going to be about who wants it the most,” Christensen said.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
