Alexander Jensen hoping Aberdeen are 'The Ones' against Celtic as he reveals musical connection with Schmeichel Snr
Alexander Jensen is hoping Aberdeen are “The Ones’ hitting all the right notes when they take on Celtic tonight.
Fellow Dane Kasper Schmeichel will help stand between the Dons and a famous result at Celtic Park tonight. Jensen has never met Schmeichel but did come across his dad, Peter, when he and his band, the Ones, played a concert at his old club Fredericia. The Dons full-back reckons Schmeichel could hold a tune but was better in his previous career as a top international goalkeeper with Manchester United and the Danish national team. Jensen said: “I have watched Kasper Schmeichel play for the national team for a lot of years, he was there for as long as I can remember.
“It will be a good experience to play against him. I’ve never met him before but I have met his father because he’s in a music band and he played at my old club Fredericia. He was the singer and his band played in the lounge at our stadium.
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“He came to do it in front of about 100 people at my old club. I can’t remember any of the songs but I think he was probably better at football!
“He wasn’t bad and he seemed to enjoy it, but everyone said he was a better goalkeeper than a singer. I don’t know how it came about or why it happened, but I remember our whole team was there watching.”
The 23-year-old arrived from Swedish side Brommapojkarna and has quickly established himself in the Aberdeen team. He would love to kick on and join Schmeichel junior in the full Danish squad but he reckons it is very much a long shot - as it stands.
Jensen stated: “Denmark has a lot of great players at the moment so you have to be very, very good to get to that level. I am not thinking about that at the moment, all I am doing is focusing on Aberdeen and settling into Scottish football.”
Jensen will get an idea of that sort of level against Celtic. He is aware he will have to be at the top of his game to snuff out Jota or Daizen Maeda. He said: “I watched Celtic against Bayern, they are a great team.
“I expect they will be maybe not the best I have played against but they will be up there. We have to be ready for that. The manager has been showing us clips of them and the things we have to focus on.
“It’s going to be tough, up against players of Celtic’s level and I am looking forward to seeing how I can adapt to that. That is the way to become better, I hope that’s how it works for me. I am happy to play either side, as long as I am in the team it’s good.”
The good thing is the full-back has previous experience of something similar in Sweden. “Against Malmo I always felt we played well against them but they would find a way of scoring,” he acknowledged.
“It’s always like that against the bigger teams, they have that quality to make a difference. In those games you have to make sure your concentration is perfect.”
Success with Aberdeen and helping them make their mark in Europe would certainly strengthen his international cause. They are currently in third place and Jensen would love a first crack at European football.
He said: “It would be nice to step up and play European football next season if we can do that. I haven’t played in European games before so it would be a huge thing for me. I believe we can keep in there for third place but there are a lot of important games coming up.”
Jensen has played at Vejle, Fredericia and Brommapojkarna. They had all been focused on avoiding relegation but now it is a very different mindset at Pittodrie, in front of a big and demanding Red Army.
He explained: “In Denmark I played in the second league and in Sweden, it was good if we stayed in the league. So the expectations here are a lot higher than in my previous clubs.
“Everything is bigger, it’s a massive step up from where I have been before - even the amount of people coming to the games. We wouldn’t get over a thousand home fans It’s good to play under that pressure because people expect you to do well and that makes you push yourself even more.”
The biggest challenge for Jensen is the physical side of Scottish football. He explained: “In Scottish football, it’s different to what I have been used to before.
“There are more duels, it’s more physical and you have to adapt to that. It’s still football, I have found it good and enjoy the intensity. It’s more intense on the pitch and also in the surroundings, I like it.”
The Jensen family will be tuned into their computers to watch the game tonight but will make the trip to Scotland to watch their son in person this weekend, against Dundee United. Jensen excitedly said: “My family will be watching the game on television, my parents, my girlfriend and her family.
“My parents are coming over for the Dundee United game on Sunday. It will be good to see them, I am looking forward to it.”
