Emiliano Sala’s former club San Martin de Progreso name their stadium after tragic footballer – The Sun

EMILIANO SALA'S former club in Argentina have named their stadium in honour of the tragic footballer.

Sala died in a plane crash aged 28 when he was on a flight to Cardiff from Nantes to sign his contract with the Welsh club back in January.


Repulsive fans printed fake boarding passes mocking Sala's death ahead of last weekend's derby between Swansea and the Bluebirds.

But his ex club in Argentina, San Martin de Progreso, have shown a touch of class by changing the name of their ground to the Emiliano Sala Stadium.

The club, based in the Santa Fe province in the east of the country, are also unveiling a mural and opening a gantry in his honour on Thursday – what would be Sala's 29th birthday.

Former Nantes star Sala started his career at the club at around the age of four and stayed there until he was 15.

Club president Daniel Ribero said: "We will inaugurate a gantry with his name, a mural with his image and we will change the name of the stadium to Emiliano Sala."

Ribero said the mural will show Sala celebrating one of his goals when he played in Ligue 1.

He said it was an "idea of one of his friends that we loved".

Ribero explained the idea to change the name of the ground came after a wake was held in the club for their former child star.

Local media said Sala's mother Mercedes Taffarel and brother Dario Sala will be at the club to open the gantry and celebrate the name change.

His sister Romina will not be there, however.

Sala's father, Horacio, died of a broken heart just three months after his son's death.

Ribero confirmed local government officials will also attend but emphasised it will be a quiet affair "because there is not much to celebrate".

He added that Championship side Cardiff – who will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being ordered to pay Sala's £5.3million transfer fee – "never got in touch" about helping.

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