Spanish stars condition worsens

[Trigger]

The condition of Spain international Antonio Puerta has deteriorated after he suffered a heart attack in Sevilla's 4-1 win against Getafe on Saturday.

Puerta, 22, collapsed in the first-half and medics prevented him from swallowing his tongue.

But he collapsed again after going off and was given cardiac resuscitation before going to hospital.

"The player remains in the hospital in a very critical state and his progress is unfavourable," said doctors.

Puerta collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the opening league game of the season at the Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday.

Team mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness.

He was able to walk from the pitch but doctors said that he collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital.

AC Milan, Sevilla's opponents in Friday's European Super Cup, issued a statement on Sunday wishing the player a speedy recovery.

Team-mate Ivica Dragutinovic was first to Puerta's aid and midfielder Renato said: "We were very frightened, but the doctors knew what they were doing.

"It was difficult to continue playing. This victory is dedicated to Puerta."

Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was in no mood to talk about his side's victory after the match.

"I don't have the mind to speak now. The reason I am here is because we are all professionals, but I have no desire to talk of the game or anything," Ramos said.

"I would like to see the player. The game does not have any importance compared with the health of a player."

 

[SeagullTim]

Breaking news on SSN is that he has died. Very sad, he was only 22

 

[Trigger]

Breaking news on SSN is that he has died. Very sad, he was only 22

That is terrible.

 

[Mendoza]

that is so horrible to hear at such a young age, heart attack at 22 makes you realise how suddenly your life can end

i was at the tournament when Vivien Foe died, and the game played that day was really emotional, and the final was worse with the cameroon team in tears before the final

 

[Hiney]

Horrific news

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

How sad. Far too young to die.

RIP

 

[Trigger]

The game was live on the tele and you could see just how shocked and worried the pundits were at half time.

 

[Napper]

f*** , awful that is

not posting any RIP bollocks as I didnt know the bloke but that is terrible news

 

[strings]

horrible and very scary news.

 

[Trigger]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6964586.stm

 

[Goodfella]

Very, very, sad news, and so so young.

 

[Everest]

Very very sad news

disturbing video

 

[Trigger]

His girlfriend is pregnant too according to this...


UEFA have postponed Tuesday night's Champions League qualifier between AEK Athens and Sevilla after the death on Tuesday of the Spanish club's defender Antonio Puerta.

The 22-year-old Spain international collapsed on the pitch during the weekend game against Getafe and, though he was able to walk off, suffered a relapse in the dressing room and required cardiac resuscitation.

It is believed the first-team squad is currently flying back to Spain from Greece.

Puerta has been a member of the Sevilla first team for three seasons and spent 14 years in total with the Andalusian club he joined as a boy.

Earlier in the day, doctors confirmed Puerta's condition had deteriorated. Dr Francisco Murillo, head of the intensive care unit at the hospital, said: "The condition of patient Antonio Puerta is not favourable due to the progression of the postanoxic brain injury and the multiple organic dysfunction caused by the prolonged cardiac arrest that led to his admission to hospital."

UEFA have postponed Tuesday night's Champions League qualifier between AEK Athens and Juande Ramos' side.

The Sevilla squad is currently flying back to Spain from Greece.

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 Andalusian club he joined as a boy.

A later statement from Dr Murillo confirmed the death. It read: "We regret to announce that the patient Antonio Puerta died at 14.30 (local time) as a consequence of postpanoxic encephalopathy and multiorganic dysfunction provoked by the cardiac arrest."

ANTONIO PUERTA FACTFILE

1984: November 26 - Born Seville, Spain.

2002: Joins Sevilla 'B' team.

2004: September 19 - Makes his Primera Liga debut as a substitute in 3-0 win over Levante.

November - Starts his first match for Sevilla senior side and scores opening goal in 2-1 defeat to Numancia.

2006: Became a regular in Sevilla side, playing over 25 games in all competitions.

April - Scores extra-time winning goal in UEFA Cup semi-final victory over Schalke.

May - Picks up UEFA Cup winner's medal despite missing out on 4-0 final win over Middlesbrough.

2007: May - Plays full 120 minutes as club clinch second consecutive UEFA Cup with win on penalties in final against Espanyol.

June - Helps Sevilla finish third in La Liga, making 46 appearances during season.

August 25 - Collapses on pitch 35 minutes into first match of 2007/08 campaign against Getafe. Though able to walk off, he suffers a relapse in the dressing room and requires cardiac resuscitation after being rushed to hospital.

August 28 - After three days in intensive care, passes away aged 22.

 

[Eagle Slayer]

Very Sad News ....

 

[Silent Bob]

Not been a good week or so for football really, with this, Ray Jones, and that Walsall kid.

 

[Les Biehn]

Thats awful.

 

[cardboard]

17:06 28Aug2007 RTRS-FACTBOX-Deaths of footballers

Aug 28 (Reuters) - Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died on Tuesday, three days after collapsing during a Primera Liga match against Getafe.
Puerta collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the game against Getafe at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on Saturday night.
Here are details of some previous deaths of footballers:
CUNHA: In Portugal, Uniao Leiria midfielder Hugo Cunha collapsed and died during a game with friends in June 2005. He was 28.
DOS SANTOS: In October 2002, the 28-year-old Brazilian striker Marcio Dos Santos died of a heart attack just hours after scoring a goal for Peruvian side Deportivo Wanka.
FEHER: In January 2004, the 24-year-old Hungarian international Miklos Feher died after collapsing from a heart attack in a Portuguese league game between his club Benfica and Vitoria Guimaraes.
FERREIRA: A 20-year-old Brazilian player Maximiliano Patrick Ferreira, known as "Max", died in hospital in July 2003 after feeling unwell during a training session for his club Botafogo-Ribeirao Preto.
FOE: Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed during Cameroon's 1-0 victory against Colombia in a Confederations Cup match in June 2003 in Lyon in France and died shortly afterwards. Foe featured at the 1994 and 2002 World Cups, and twice won the African Nations Cup, in 2000 and 2002. He played for French first division clubs RC Lens and Olympique Lyon, as well as West Ham United and Manchester City in England.
LONGHURST: Twenty-five year-old York City striker Dave Longhurst died after collapsing two minutes before half-time in a league match against Lincoln City in Sept. 1990. The game was abandoned and an inquest revealed he had suffered from a rare heart condition.
OKWARAJI: In August 1989, Nigeria's Samuel Okwaraji collapsed 10 minutes from the end of a World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos and died from cardiac failure.
SERGINHO: Sao Caetano defender Serginho died after suffering an apparent cardio-respiratory arrest during a Brazilian championship in Oct. 2004 match against Sao Paulo.

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

Very sad news

 

[Al Bion]

What terrible news, such a young age

 

[Gritt23]

If you were a fan at that game, you'd never have thought there was going to be a problem after he walked off the pitch. It's like being at a boxing match when a fighter gets knocked out cold, you are worried for them all the time they are down, but once they get up, you all cheer, confidently believing all is okay now.

Shocking incident, really makes you stop and think.