Emiliano Sala remains missing after a small aircraft he was on crashed in the English Channel
FC Nantes will open their training facility tomorrow to allow fans to come in and lay tributes to Emiliano Sala, after he went missing when the aeroplane he was on while travelling to Cardiff crashed in the English Channel on Monday night.
The Argentine had just signed for Cardiff City from Nantes and was travelling to Wales having said his goodbyes to his Nantes teammates when the crash happened.
The search for the plane which disappeared over the Channel Islands is now a recovery effort rather than a rescue operation, according to the Channel Islands Air Search.
“We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into Cardiff and today was due to be his first day with the team,” said Cardiff’s CEO Ken Choo.
“We made the decision first thing to call off training with the thoughts of the squad, management staff and the entire club with Emiliano and the pilot. We continue to pray for positive news.”
A vigil took place in the town of Nantes on Tuesday night, and the French club postponed Wednesday’s Coupe de France tie at L’Entente Sannois Saint-Gratien.
Nantes fans will now be able to lay floral tributes to Sala at the Ligue 1 side’s training ground tomorrow, the club have announced.
La famille du FC Nantes est plus que jamais soudée dans cette épreuve.
La séance d'entrainement de demain sera ouverte au public (dans la limite de 300 personnes) avec un moment de partage et de communion, tous ensemble, à 16h00. https://t.co/keHRVnRxfX
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) January 23, 2019
Pour permettre à chacun de se recueillir, le Club a installé, à la Joneliere et très prochainement à la Beaujoire, le portrait d'Emiliano.
Il vous sera possible d'y déposer des fleurs, des bougies, des mots…#PrayForSala pic.twitter.com/LMwIkObCY0
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) January 23, 2019
A press release from the club reads:
“The FC Nantes family is more than ever united in this event. Therefore, the training session tomorrow will be open to the public (up to 300 people). For this moment of sharing, we invite you to gather at 4pm at the Jonelière Sports Centre.
“To allow everyone to gather, the Club have installed, at the Joneliere and very soon at La Beaujoire, a portrait of Emiliano. You will be able to place flowers, candles, words. In addition, a guestbook is available on the club’s website to, if you wish, express your support for Emiliano Sala.”
