Echoes of Christian Eriksen as Icelandic footballer Emil Palsson collapses on pitch

Midfielder keeled over in the 12th minute, while Barcelona's Sergio Aguero is out after suffering chest pains

Emil Palsson collapsed during a football match on Monday. MB Media

Icelandic footballer Emil Palsson collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a Norwegian league game on Monday.

The scare had echoes of the collapse of Denmark’s Christian Eriksen during the summer’s Euros 2020 tournament and came only two days after a health alert for Barcelona’s Sergio Aguero.

Midfielder Palsson, 28, was playing for Sogndal in Norway’s second tier when he fell over in the 12th minute.

“Emil Palsson had a cardiac arrest in the 12th minute of play. Palsson was successfully resuscitated and then flown to Haukeland Hospital for further examination and treatment,” the club said.

The match against Stjordals-Blink was suspended and players were sent to the dressing rooms as medical staff surrounded Palsson and started resuscitation efforts.

He was later carried off the field at the Fosshaugane Campus stadium in western Norway.

“Palsson is alive and is being examined by the best at Haukeland Hospital. There will probably not be any more information tonight,” said Geir Inge Heggestad, event manager for Sogndal.

Palsson was playing for Sogndal on loan from Sarpsborg 08, who play in Norway's top league, the Eliteserien.

At the weekend, Aguero was taken to hospital after leaving the field early in Barcelona’s match against Alaves.

The Argentine international will be unavailable for at least the next three months after undergoing “a diagnostic and therapeutic process” for a cardiological issue, the club said.

Aguero, 33, was making his first start at Camp Nou since his summer transfer after a decade at Manchester City, but his evening lasted only 41 minutes.

He said he was “well and in good spirits".

“I want to thank you all for so many messages of support and love that make my heart stronger today,” he said.

In June, Denmark's Eriksen collapsed from a cardiac arrest during his country's opening Euro 2020 game against Finland and an implant fitted since now has put his career in jeopardy.

He had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator device (ICD) fitted, a type of pacemaker which can prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm.

His team, Inter Milan, said last week that Eriksen will not be permitted to play in Italy because of the ICD.

Francesco Braconaro, a member of the Italian Football Federation's technical scientific committee, said the Dane will not be allowed to play in Italy unless the ICD is removed.

It is likely Eriksen will seek to play elsewhere.