Schmeichel says Denmark players will be ready for Wales match

Kasper Schmeichel has owned up to a “difficult week” for Danish football that almost saw Denmark field a team of part-time players against Wales in the UEFA Nations League.

Denmark fielded lower league and futsal players in the 3-0 friendly defeat to Slovakia on Wednesday following a dispute over the players’ commercial rights.

The row was eventually settled on Thursday, allowing Denmark to recall the likes of Leicester goalkeeper Schmeichel and Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen for Sunday’s game against Wales in Aarhus.

“I think for us it’s about winning the game and playing well,” Schmeichel said at Denmark’s pre-match press conference.

“I am sure everyone will get behind us. It’s been a difficult week, but that’s life.

“It’s just about getting on with it now and we will be ready.”

The Danish trio presented at the pre-match press conference – manager Age Hareide, captain Simon Kjaer and Schmeichel – were reluctant to talk about the affair which had turned Denmark into the laughing stock of international football.

But Hareide said the episode meant his squad, which reached the last 16 of the World Cup in Russia and are ranked ninth by FIFA, had been limited to only two training sessions before the Wales game.

“It is a little less than we normally have, but it’s OK,” Hareide said.

“There are players here who have been here for two years, so I am not too worried about that.

“All the players are fit and experienced. There are no worries about that. No excuses.”

Meanwhile, Wales defender Ben Davies admits he is pleased to being playing against the “best” Denmark team rather than a bunch of part-timers.

The dispute over the image rights of the Denmark players had threatened to turn the Nations League game into a farce.

That was the prospect facing Wales until a deal was brokered by the Danish FA and its players’ association and Davies is happy.

“If we want to win things and prove ourselves, we have to do it against the best possible teams,” Davies said.

“Denmark are a really strong team when they’ve got their best players there. That’s the players we want to play against.

“But we haven’t thought about any of the palaver that’s gone on with them, we’ve just tried to be ready when the game comes.”

The settling of the Danish dispute means Davies will come up against Tottenham team-mate Christian Eriksen.

“He sometimes sees things that other people don’t,” Davies said. “His awareness of the game, ability to pick a pass and the quality he’s got makes him one of the best midfielders in the world.

“We’ve been very lucky to have him over the last few years the number of chances he’s created.

“He makes our team flow as we get our rhythm through him, helping us take the ball from defence to attack so easily.”