Provstgaard: "I Have A Very Talented Coach, Maurizio Sarri, Who Has Helped Me A Lot To Learn The Italian Style Defense. We Play A Completely Different Style Of Football Than The One I Know In Denmark."

Oliver Provstgaard’s recent rise at Lazio has now carried him onto the international stage. After taking his chances under Maurizio Sarri and delivering steady performances in Serie A, the young centre back has received his first senior call up for Denmark, joining Brian Riemer’s squad for a decisive World Cup playoff at home against North Macedonia. Denmark host the semi final in Copenhagen, and the winner will move on to a final against either Czechia or the Republic of Ireland for a place at the next World Cup.

From Denmark’s training camp, Provstgaard spoke to Viaplay and described how much his football has changed since moving to Italy. He said the physical side has been a priority, and he revealed a clear detail that shows how seriously he has approached the adaptation.

“I gained seven kilos in a year. You don’t see many defenders in Italy under 90 kilos,” he said. For Provstgaard, adding muscle has been part of becoming a defender who can survive Serie A duels, but he also stressed that the real transformation is tactical. “For me, it’s about listening and doing what they ask of me, because we play a completely different style of football than the one I know in Denmark. Technically and especially tactically, which we’ve worked hard on, the results are starting to show.”

That is where Sarri comes into the story. Provstgaard credited the Lazio coach for pushing him to understand the details of Italian defending, not only through minutes on the pitch, but through repetition on the training ground. “I have a very talented coach, Maurizio Sarri, who has helped me a lot to learn the Italian style defense,” he said. “He has a very unique way of defending us. We spend a lot of time training on the defensive phase. We’ve watched a lot of videos, and obviously that has helped me a lot.”

Perhaps the strongest line was about trust, because it is the one thing young defenders often do not get in Italy. “For me, the important thing is to improve,” Provstgaard added. “But it’s very positive to have a coach who trusts me from day one.”

Now that trust has produced a new milestone. Denmark’s playoff is high pressure and short format, but for Provstgaard it is also an immediate reward: a first senior call up earned through growth, consistency, and the kind of defensive education that Italy still teaches better than almost anywhere else.