Sevilla's Puerta dies three days after collapse
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Sevilla's Puerta dies three days after collapse
MADRID, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died on Tuesday, three days after collapsing during a Primera Liga match.
The 22-year-old Spanish international had been in a critical condition in the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville since being admitted on Saturday. The hospital confirmed his death.
Sevilla said that Puerta's body would be taken to the club's Sanchez Pizjuan stadium where fans could pay their respects and that the player would be buried on Thursday.
The player was due to become a father in under two months, Spanish media reported.
Puerta's condition has completely overshadowed the Sevilla squad's preparations for the Champions League third qualifying round second leg against AEK Athens in Greece on Tuesday.
The club's radio reported that UEFA had agreed to postpone the game and the Spanish Football League also called off the league game at Osasuna on Monday.
An AEK spokesman said the Champions League tie would be played on Monday Sept. 3.
AC Milan, Sevilla's opponents in Friday's European Super Cup, expressed their condolences at the player's death, saying they were prepared to call off the game if necessary.
'AC Milan... grieve at the passing of Antonio Puerta and share the pain of our friends at Sevilla and the player's family,' the club said in a statement.
'Milan are ready to stand by any decision adopted by UEFA about the playing or not of the European Super Cup.'
Puerta collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the game against Getafe at the Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday night.
Team mates and medical staff immediately rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness, but he was able to walk from the pitch.
Doctors said that he collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital. -
RIP ...
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Deathnote
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didn't saw this thread. sorry
R.I.P. his gf is due in around 5 weeks somemore.. -
very sad.. u are a great player always in sevilla.
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omg..this is so sad....RIP...
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RIP.
CK -
Puerta, leave behind his pregnant girlfriend
The Sevilla and Spain wing-back Antonio Puerta has died aged 22 after collapsing during his side's match against Getafe on Saturday. Puerta collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the opening league game of the season at the Sánchez Pizjuán on Saturday. Team-mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness.
Puerta, who had passed a medical with his club three weeks ago, was able to walk from the pitch after being attended to by medical staff on Saturday, but then collapsed again in the changing rooms and was given cardiac resuscitation.
Doctors at the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville confirmed his death. "We regret to report that the patient Antonio Puerta died at [1230 GMT] today," read a hospital statement. "The death was caused by postanoxic encephalopathy and a multiple failure of his organs caused by the prolonged cardiac arrest that provoked his admission to hospital." Puerta's body will now be taken to the Sánchez Pizjuán, where fans will be able to pay their respects before he is buried on Thursday.
The Spanish Football League issued its condolences to Puerta's family and Sevilla's supporters in a statement. "The LFP has asked all their fans to respect a one-minute silence before each game of the second round of the Primera Liga," it read. Sevilla's city rivals Real Betis also issued a statement, in which the Betis owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera said: "This is a blow to the whole of Seville. Our thoughts are with Sevilla, with the player's family and with the player, who I am sure will be in heaven."
Puerta, whose girlfriend is pregnant, had been a member of the Sevilla first team for three seasons and spent 14 years in total with the club he joined as a boy. -
this is freaking sad.... so sad... RIP..
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oh man... RIP.
scary. -
Goodness. @.@;
RIP. -
Omg RIP
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RIP.
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RIP
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RIP
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such a young lad. its a pity. it really is. rip...
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EJy5aTdsRY
sevilla's player paying tribute to him after scoring they first goal in the UEFA Supercup.. -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlZSPQVwzEE&NR=1
nice to see this in football. Ac Milan has got Puerta name on their jersey, below the number. have goosebumps while watching this -
RIP. nice to see kaka pointing to his name after he scored.