The Girl with the Goalden Boot

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

 

Puerta dies after heart attack

From correspondents in Seville, Spain
August 29, 2007

SPAIN defender Antonio Puerta died today after suffering a heart attack during a Spanish football league match at the weekend.

"It's official. Puerta has died," a Spanish football federation said.

The Spanish Football League announced that the league match between Sevilla and Osasuna on Tuesday (AEST) had been postponed as a mark of respect for Puerta.

"The Spanish professional league wishes to pass on its most sincere condolences to the family of Antonio Puerta of Sevilla, and to all connected with Sevilla," the league said in a statement.

"(The league) has declared an official day of mourning for the next round of matches, and has asked all affiliated clubs to maintain a minute's silence before games."

The governing body of football in Europe, UEFA, also granted a Sevilla request to postpone the return Champions League fixture against AEK Athens in Greece today.

That match has been scheduled for September 3 but the UEFA Super Cup match against Champions League winner AC Milan will be played as scheduled on Saturday (AEST).

"In theory the Super Cup match will be held as planned, and will be played in homage to Puerta this Friday in Monaco," UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said.

Puerta, 22, had been in a "very critical" condition in the intensive care unit of Seville's Virgen del Rocio hospital, where he had been put on a life-support machine after collapsing in the La Liga fixture against Getafe.

A hospital spokesman said that Puerta died following "postanoxic encephalopathy", a delayed coma resulting from a reduction of oxygen supply to the brain, and "secondary multiorgan failure following a prolonged cardiac arrest".

The spokesman said that Puerta had also suffered irregular palpitations or arrhythmia in the right side of his heart.

Puerta, a star last season in Sevilla's successful UEFA Cup defence and the club's top-three league finish, collapsed after 30 minutes of the 4-1 win over Getafe on the opening day of the La Liga season.

He was able to walk gingerly to the dressing rooms, where he collapsed for a second time before being taken to hospital.

Puerta is not the first footballer to die of a heart attack.

Benfica and Hungary striker Miklos Feher died from a heart attack during a Portuguese league match in January 2004, and Portuguese player Hugo Cunha of first division Leiria died following a cardiac arrest the following year.

Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed and died while playing in the 2003 Confederations Cup tournament in France, and Colombian teenager Victor Alfonso Guerrero collapsed and died during training in April last year.

Lola Nadal 12:20 PM