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REMEMBERING SALA

Cardiff fans want Emiliano Sala tributes to include memorial shirts and photo in stadium

Supporters took to social media supporter groups to make their suggestions as to how the club should remember the tragic striker

CARDIFF CITY fans want to retire a number for Emiliano Sala so fans can buy tribute shirts.

A post on a social media supporter group sparked suggestions as to how the club could remember the striker.

 Cardiff City fans want to remember Emiliano Sala by giving him a shirt number and retiring it
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Cardiff City fans want to remember Emiliano Sala by giving him a shirt number and retiring itCredit: AFP or Licensors
 The club paid their respects before the home game against Bournemouth last weekend
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The club paid their respects before the home game against Bournemouth last weekendCredit: AFP or licensors

The fan, who wanted to remain anonymous, uploaded a picture of one of the corners of the Cardiff City Stadium to the Spotted Cardiff group on Facebook, which has 61,000 users.

They wrote: "After the tragic loss of Emiliano Sala, why don’t we put up a tribute in this space in the picture.

"There’s plenty of space there and something like a picture of him.

"Also I think the club should give him a squad number and retire it.

"Anyone who wishes to can purchase a shirt with his name and number on the back and all profits go to his family. RIP Emiliano."

 Players wore blue t-shirts with Sala's face printed on the front during their warm-up and Bobby Reid held one after scoring
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Players wore blue t-shirts with Sala's face printed on the front during their warm-up and Bobby Reid held one after scoringCredit: PA:Press Association

Sala's former club Nantes have retired the No9 shirt he wore during his spell at the French club.

The post received widespread support with other fans adding in their own suggestions.

One thought pilot David Ibbotson should also be honoured while others suggested a statue should be placed outside the ground.

Liam Healan commented on the post and said: "I think Cardiff should offer to play FC Nantes in a friendly pre season every year - so we can keep a bond with the club and SALA and also honour him & the pilot (Ibottson).

 Sala signed for Cardiff in a £15million record deal but his plane went missing two days later as he flew back from Nantes
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Sala signed for Cardiff in a £15million record deal but his plane went missing two days later as he flew back from NantesCredit: Getty - Contributor
 Nantes players all had "Sala" instead of their own names on their shirts last week
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Nantes players all had "Sala" instead of their own names on their shirts last weekCredit: EPA
Cardiff manager Neil Warnock pays tribute to Emiliano Sala who has been confirmed dead

"Also the proceeds from the games each pre season can go to both men's (families) who lost their life. Surely this can be very easy to sort."

Cardiff's next home game is on Friday February 22 when they host Watford in South Wales - in their last match, the players celebrating by holding up a t-shirt of Sala.

Sala's father Horacio broke down in a TV interview at his home in Argentina this week. Earlier in the week, he said: "I can't believe it, this is a dream, a bad dream."

Sala's body was formally identified on Thursday night after being found near the plane's wreckage at the bottom of the English Channel.

 After the discovery of the wreckage, a body that was found was brought to Portland and identified as Sala
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After the discovery of the wreckage, a body that was found was brought to Portland and identified as SalaCredit: AFP or licensors

He signed for Cardiff on January 19 in a record £15million move but two days later the plane carrying him from Nantes to Cardiff lost contact over the English Channel.

Pilot Ibbotson has still not been found.

His family have set up a GoFundMe page to continue the search to be continued.

The page said: "Please help bring David Ibbotson home and help give him the send off he deserves.

 The father of the Argentine striker, Horacio, broke down in a TV interview in his homeland this year
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The father of the Argentine striker, Horacio, broke down in a TV interview in his homeland this yearCredit: AFP or licensors

"As a family we are relying on the kindness of the good hearted people to help us raise the much needed funds to help us find our beloved Dad, Husband and Son.

"As a family we are trying to come to terms with the tragedy and the loss of two incredible men.

"To be told the search has now been called off for the foreseeable future has only made this tragic time more difficult.

"We can not bare the thought of him being alone, we need him home so that we are able to lay him to rest."

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