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Romelu Lukaku said the Belgium players will kick the ball out of play in the 10th minute of their game against Denmark so the stadium can pay tribute to Christian Eriksen with a minute’s applause.
The fans at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium are planning a loud ovation for Eriksen in the 10th minute of the Euro 2020 game because the midfielder wears the No. 10 shirt for Denmark.
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Lukaku said on Wednesday that both teams will stop playing to join in the tribute.
Lukaku said ”we will kick the ball out for a throw-in to stop and applaud and mark this moment.”
Eriksen remains in a Copenhagen hospital close to the stadium after suffering cardiac arrest during Saturday’s game against Finland.
Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand said Eriksen will watch the match from Rigshospitalet, which is just 500 metres from the Parken Stadium.
“Yeah I think Christian will watch [the game],” Hjulmand told a news conference on Wednesday. “It’s really crazy, the hospital is right next to Parken, and when he looks out of the window he can see Parken and probably he can hear everything from Parken.
“That’s a crazy situation for Christian. But I think he’ll be in his shirt and watch the game.”
Lukaku is teammates with Eriksen at Inter Milan and sent a greeting to the Dane after scoring in Belgium’s 3-0 win over Russia.
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is ready to play at least part of the game against Denmark as well.
De Bruyne missed Belgium’s opening 3-0 win over Russia at Euro 2020 because of a facial fracture sustained in the Champions League final but has taken part in full training the last few days.
Martinez said the Manchester City midfielder has been given ”the green light to be in a match situation.”
He added that ”now it’s a question of how long Kevin can play” and that he will use the two remaining group games to gradually bring De Bruyne back to full match fitness.
Belgium play Finland in their last Group B game.
Finland players wore T-shirts during the warmup with words “Get well Christian!” on the front, an idea devised by captain Tim Sparv.