Emiliano Sala who had disappeared over the English Channel over a week ago was remembered by observing a minute’s silence ahead of the Cardiff City’s first match on Tuesday against Arsenal.
Arsenal condemned Cardiff to a 2-1 defeat as the Welsh side returned to action for the first time since a plane carrying the club’s record signing Sala and pilot David Ibbotson vanished from the radars. The pilot lost contact when on its way to the Welsh capital on January 21 just two days after completing a £15 million move from Nantes.
Before the match kick-off, visiting Cardiff fans unveiled a banner saying,” We never saw you play and never saw you score but Emiliano our beautiful bluebird we will love you forever more.”
Both sides’ captains laid a bouquet of flowers in the pitch while Argentina shirts and flags were waved among the visiting support.
Before the game, Cardiff manager, Neil Warnock described the past week as the toughest of his career but admitted that return to action was a huge relief and it proves Cardiff performed admirably under tragic circumstances.
