Cardiff City fans lay flowers as fears grow over striker Emiliano Sala and pilot

by Callum Ellis & Julie Kissick

CARDIFF City fans have been left in shock following the news that new signing Emiliano Sala was on board a light aircraft that went missing on Monday night.

Sala, who joined the club for a club-record fee of £15million from Nantes on Saturday, was due to travel back to the Welsh capital to take part in his first training session on Tuesday.

After putting pen-to-paper on a three-and-a-half year deal with the Bluebirds, the 28-year-old returned to France to bid farewell to his former team-mates. During his journey back to Wales on Monday evening, his plane went missing off Alderney in the Channel Islands.

Video track: Nicola Heidlas (Hook Sounds)

A major search operation for the aircraft got underway but Guernsey Police confirmed they had “found no signs of those on board” when they suspended operations last night.

This morning they resumed the search and tweeted that coastal areas around Alderney and off-lying rocks and islands will also be searched from the air today.

Cardiff opted to cancel Tuesday’s training session and Nantes’ French Cup match against Entente Sannois Saint Gratien tonight has been postponed.

Yesterday, flowers and scarves were laid around the Fred Keenor statue outside Cardiff City Stadium in tribute to the striker. Scores of fans made their way to the ground to pay their respects and express their disbelief at what looks to be a tragic loss.

Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust Board member and life-long Bluebird, Tim Hartley, expressed the feelings of fans from across the football world.

“My first response was one of shock,” said Hartley.

“You just think about him [Sala] and his family and put aside the football. We’ll come together, as we did, when Leicester had that terrible tragedy earlier in the season. But now we have just got to think about his family and friends.

“We hope that he is still alive, but in our heart of hearts, we know that’s unlikely.”

Hartley said the focus of fans was on the Argentine striker, believed to be one of two people on board the plane, not on football.

“He was supposed to be our saviour, wasn’t he? He was the guy who was going to score for us and help us maintain our position in the Premier League; all that goes by the by. It’s not important now.

“This club showed respect to Leicester and Vichai [Srivaddhanaprabha] – and we’ll do the same again here I’m sure. He has been over here and was looking forward to playing for us, that’s what makes the whole thing so deeply tragic and I am sure there will be a tribute at some point.”

The rest of the footballing world has come together to express their sorrow over Sala.  In Nantes, supporters also laid flowers at a fountain as a tribute to Sala and the missing pilot. Cardiff and Nantes have been twinned for over 50 years.

Sala joined Nantes in 2015, scoring 48 goals for the Ligue 1 side and establishing himself as a firm favourite with the fans.

French newspaper L’Equipe’s front page headline read: “The disappearance of a warrior”, and told of the outpouring of grief for the striker as fans wait for news.

It wrote: “In Nantes, the wait has been unbearable for the supporters of a forward loved for his battling qualities.”

Current and former players have also expressed their concern for the player and the pilot, who is yet to be named.

Hoping for some positive news. All my thoughts with the player , pilot , their families and @CardiffCityFC #PrayForSala 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/uIXCapOiuu

— Pablo Zabaleta (@pablo_zabaleta) January 22, 2019

Fans are likely to continue to gather outside Cardiff City Stadium today to express their grief for a player who never got to play for their team, but who captured their hearts in what look to be the most tragic of circumstances.