Schindler insists he's not feeling the pressure in Dortmund

MIGHTY Martin Schindler insists he's playing with freedom and without fear as he attempts to give Germany lift-off in Dortmund.

The home No.1 raised the roof in the Westfalenhalle with a brilliant deciding-leg victory over Wessel Nijman to reach the last 16.

A week ago, Schindler wasn't even sure he'd be at the big event as a loss to Karel Sedlacek in the opening round of the Dutch Darts Championships would have meant no place at the Euros.

Instead, in his own words, he looked his fear in the eye and came through against the Czech ace. Now, though, that fear has gone altogether and been replaced by excitement at an unlikely opportunity.

Schindler said: "I'm very happy that I qualified for this one and I was coming here without any fear of losing or without fear of Wessel or without any pressure.

"I was feeling a bit free in a way that I was happy to be here because, obviously I know that, the way that I've played, I probably shouldn't be and there are other players who probably deserved it more. But that's just how it is sometimes.

"Against Karel last week I felt way more pressure than I did now against Wessel. That's the crazy thing. Not because of Wessel or anything, but obviously if you don't qualify for majors, then you're in big trouble. If you don't qualify for the European Championship, then you're in big trouble.

"It should be easy in the way that I can play in it for the European Championships, but I made it hard for myself. Not on a free basis, if that makes sense. It's a fighting process at the moment."

With Niko Springer losing out to Jonny Clayton on Friday, Schindler carries all of the home hopes into the final two days of action, but he's unaffected by stress as he added: "Honestly for me it doesn't put more pressure on me if I'm the German No.1 or not because I have to say, if I don't play proper darts, then nothing else for me matters.

"If I play good, I earn a lot of money, I'm in a good way. But if I play badly, I will lose a lot of money. On the other hand, I need to say, it wouldn't wonder me if I'm going to play tomorrow and I'm going to win.

"I will be in the last eight, especially in a season like this. I will fight for it. I don't expect it, but I will fight for it. I will put everything I have into it. If I win, I'm very happy. If I lose, so be it.

"But it hasn't been a great season for me. I need to fight for every game. I need to win, but, unfortunately, that's the situation which I'm in at the moment."