Mikkel Damsgaard: Brentford midfielder finally shows his value after fighting arthritis earlier in his career | Football news
He was a player who was silent Wembley in the week when he turned 21. Mikkel Damsgaard’s free kick for Denmark in the Euro 2020 semifinals against England launched a midfielder to fame.
Imagine telling Damsgaard at that moment that his next career goal would have to wait another three and a half years in September third round Efl Cup for Brentford against Leyton Orient.
Now 24, Danish midfielder is moving on a trip from that moment Wembley. Includes the move to the Premier League from Sampdoria to Brentford 2022, but only now or two and a half years later-on begins to show its value.
Damsgaard is currently sitting fourth on the Assist Premier League list with eight, behind only Antonee Robinson, Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah.
His last was a great delivery to Kevin Schade’s head against Crystal Palace last weekend, and another set against Tottenham this weekend, Live on Sky SportsHe would see him knock down the Brentford Club record for most assists in the Premier League season.
But Damsgaard’s story is not a breakthrough. Many have known his talents for some time. Even before his moment, Wembley, his former manager at FC Nordsjaelland, described him as “the greatest talent Denmark produced from Michael Laudrup.” Unhappy if you are Christian Eriksen.
Damsgaard’s basic story – which many did not know in the Premier League audience – is a battle with rheumatoid arthritis while in Sampdoria. He was first diagnosed with his knees six months after his moment of Wembley – and that turned him off for half a year.
The condition causes inflammation and pain in the joints and there was a huge physical backlog for a midfielder. Describing his symptoms after joining Brentford, he admitted that “his mind is going faster than his legs could move” – and revealed earlier this season to still take medication for it.
“I lost a lot of pounds, so I was very, very thin,” he told Brentford’s club media 2023. “I had problems with confidence and I didn’t have the same speed and power in my legs.
“I had to play a little smarter and I played a lot worse than what I was capable of, because I couldn’t reach the level I wanted.
“I came back and I played without pain, but I couldn’t move the way I wanted and had no confidence to try the same things.”
Despite missing football so much, Brentford and Thomas Frank still decided to move to him in the summer of 2022. “They conducted their research, talked to my physios and knew everything that was happening to me,” the midfielder said about the move.
But such an acute problem takes time to recover. Damsgaard’s first season in Brentford saw him play 26 times in the Premier League, mostly from a bench of replacement and without naked or assistance.
Last season he was supposed to be the expression he hit, but Dane went quite back to Square One. Damsgaard is off to four months with knee problems once again a problem.
The 24-year-old has now been without injuries for just over a year and shows it. He seems to have some power in his legs.
First, he is part of the aggressive midfielder Brentford who is sometimes so difficult to play. He is one of the best pressure in the Premier League from the ball – AS of the club captain and compatriot Christian Normaard beside him, he provides a base in the middle of Brentford.
Then comes a creative touch. His numerous assists are a nice joint between the open game (6) and Set-Komada (2). Summer signed by Fabio Carvalho, an investment of £ 27.5 million by bees, barely struck from moving from Liverpool. This is because of Damsgaard, who was awarded a new contract until 2030 earlier this month.
“After two years of relatively consistent training and good environment – by patience in both directions – we now see the fruit of the job,” said Chief Bees Frank at the time of the announcement.
“He was one of our best players this season; we are very dangerous when playing. But he is even more from Mikkel.
“It’s been half a season. Now he has to perform the whole season. We have to add layers, but I’m pleased with what he is doing.”
Brentford has a history not only to notice, and then transmits talent for big money, but also gives time to those who slowly start or fight injuries.
This season, Damsgaard presents all these topics, but also Keane Lewis-Potter, Nathan Collins and Schade. You can bet that Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Igor Thiago, and even Carvalho who slowly start.
But if Damsgaard continues with this momentum, he may be one of the following talents of big money through the exit door in Brentford to Grander Clubs.
Watch Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur live on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday this weekend from 1:00 pm; Start 14:00
