NANTES, France (AFP) - Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic admitted the disappearance of striker Emiliano Sala, whose plane came down in the English Channel, had left him "completely shocked" while fans said on Thursday (Jan 24) they felt as if they had lost "someone from our own family".
Sala had been on his way from the French club to Wales on Monday night where he was due to start a new period in his career with Premier League Cardiff City.
Police said on Thursday that the chances of finding the 28-year-old Argentine alive were "extremely remote" as they announced they were ending their search.
"I had a particular relationship with him because from the moment of my arrival we talked a lot. I spoke with him..." said veteran coach Halilhodzic who started to weep before composing himself enough to continue.
His voice still trembled as he added: "For me, it is perhaps the most difficult moment of my sporting life. I have known others but in terms of sport, this has left me completely shocked."
Sala had been at Nantes since 2015 and had scored 12 league goals this season before signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with relegation-threatened Cardiff in a reported €17 million (S$26 million) deal.
At Nantes' training centre at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre in western France, the squad and staff met with fans who had gathered to pay their respects.
"Keep hoping," said one poster which contained a picture of Sala and was pinned to the fence of the training centre.
Flowers and candles were also laid out as fans, numbed by Sala's disappearance, held an emotional vigil for their former player.
"We know that he is lost, but there remains a small corner of hope that still exists," 29-year-old Maxime Perrouin told AFP.
'NO MINUTE'S SILENCE, WE STILL HAVE HOPE'
After the Nantes squad had finished their training session for the day, players and staff were applauded by the fans who numbered more than 300.
"We ask you to stand united with us," captain Valentin Rongier told them.
Â
Â
"We ask you to respect the family who absolutely refuse to talk about mourning and ask us to keep believing.
"It is for this reason that we are not going to have a minute's silence or a minute's applause because we still have hope."
Perrouin, who was at the centre with his pet Huskie dog dressed in a Nantes shirt, said fans needed to pay their respects to Sala and support the team who are currenty just six points above the relegation zone in Ligue 1.
"The players really need us. I think it's going to make them happy to see all the people gathered there for them and I think they'll use it as a force to excel themselves on the field," said Perrouin.
"I have tears in my eyes as I am talking to you, looking at his photo - it's like we have lost somebody from our family."
Another fan Andree Guittet, 69, who has supported the Canaries for 35 years, said she originally refused to believed the news of Sala's disapperance.
"Someone phoned me - I thought it was 'fake news', it wasn't possible.
"You couldn't say he was a player like Neymar or Mbappe, but he was a battler, he was a warrior."
Mohamed Salah completed a memorable day for Egyptian football by retaining his African Player of the Year award in Senegal Tuesday. The 26-year-old Liverpool star finished first with club-mate
Football: Mohamed Salah retains African award to seal great
Shiotani fires Japan past Uzbeks, Qatar's Ali downs Saudis Tsukasa Shiotani's sizzling winner kept Japan on top of their Asian Cup group on Thursday, while Oman scrambled into the knockouts in a pulsating finish to the tournament's first stage.
Football: Shiotani fires Japan past Uzbeks, Qatar's Ali downs
Premier League Match Report for Arsenal v Chelsea on 19 January 2019, includes all goals and incidents. Have your say on the game in the comments.
Proper Gapping Instructions - NGK.com
MADRID: Former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Spain star Jose Antonio Reyes has been killed in a car crash, his hometown club Sevilla said on Saturday.He was 35. Reyes, who shot to fame at Sevilla before a switch to Arsenal, followed by spells at Real and Atletico Madrid, was on the books with second-tier Spanish club Extremadura.
Football news - Jose Antonio Reyes killed in car crash at age
SINGAPORE - Former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) general secretary Winston Lee withdrew his candidacy for one of nine seats on the executive committee members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), just before the Asian football body's congress in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (April 6).
Former FAS General Secretary, Winston Lee withdraws candidacy
Football: Man City's Sterling treated differently by British media, says Pogba Manchester City's Raheem Sterling poses for a selfie with fans before a match. PHOTO: REUTERS
Man City's Sterling treated differently by British media
Klopp calm for the run-in LONDON • The Premier League title race is the most competitive it has been for years, but Jurgen Klopp is not having a "heart attack" whenever he hears nearest challengers Manchester City have won.
John Barnes urges calm from Liverpool fans in title run-in
LONDON (AFP) - Maurizio Sarri warned his Chelsea stars to improve their mentality after Willian's sublime strike sealed a hard-fought 2-1 win over struggling Newcastle on Saturday (Jan 12).. Read
Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place
Jose Mourinho showers praise on Jurgen Klopp, says liverpool coach's 'mentality' behind historic comeback Description: Jose Mourinho said that Liverpool which enjoyed a fantastic run could have ended the season with no title in their kitty but they are now one step away from becoming European champions.
Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic comeback
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is set to seal a money-spinning move to Italian champions Juventus when his contract expires with the Gunners in the summer, according to reports on Thursday. The
Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey set to cash in with Juventus move
China to host 2023 Asian Cup after Korea withdraws 16/05/2019 16/05/2019 Oman Observer Seoul: South Korea have abandoned their bid to stage football's Asian Cup in 2023, authorities said, leaving the sole other bidders China with a free run to become hosts.
Schick was also asked about his relationship with head coach Eusebio Di Francesco - who has often deployed the 23-year-old on the right wing in order to accommodate Dzeko in his preferred central position. "Before going onto the pitch, he tells me to have fun, to be present in the game, to do what I can do.
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch usa soccer live stream online
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch premier league live stream hd
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch live premier league football streaming online for free iraqgoals
watch soccer live live football streaming cr7
watch soccer online free streaming live world cup
watch coppa america live streaming portugal
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch us soccer live stream
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch coppa america live streaming world
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming without cable
watch soccer online free streaming live liverpool
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch soccer live stream apk
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch coppa america live streaming espn
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch soccer online free streaming live app
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch coppa america live streaming live
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch usa soccer live stream
watch coppa america live streaming nz
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch champions league live streaming live free
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch soccer saturday live stream
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch premier league live in stream
watch english premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming direct
watch champions league simulcast live stream
watch champions league live stream uk
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch premier league games live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming match
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch the champions league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch champions league draw live stream total sportek
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch soccer online free streaming live english
watch soccer games online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch live streaming soccer games
#livesports #satira #liverpoolfc #livestreaming #ronaldo #liverpoolcity #MSport #premierleague #Vip45 #Sunday #sunderlandafc #footballmemes #freekickerz #gooners #comics #Fcb #coys #myfootballuniverse #visubal #realmadrid #manunited #henderson #bayern #football #nikesoccer #fcbarcelona #elcasico #nationsleague #JUVENTUS #londoncity #thebeatles #vip #livestreams #liverpool #risate #golazo #fut #winner #meunier #oasisengland #battuteepiche #villarealcf #firmino #Barca #ucl #crossfit #hotcoffee #zidane #knuckleball #bestshishacafedubai #footballfans #footballmeme #mensnightout #realmadridcf #messi #rugby #panini #midnight #alissonbecker #nutmeg #zinedinezidane #Liamgallagher #league1 #seriea #watchlive #tokyo #4Series #BMW #cr7 #sixtimes #MyDubai #PartyTime #lfc #ignoranza #bayernmunich #noelgallagher #romania
No comments:
Post a Comment