Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson went missing after the airplane crashed in the English Channel which was taking the former Nantes forward to the Welsh city after Cardiff paid a club-record transfer fee for the Argentine. Cardiff, who are struggling in the relegation battle in the Premier League, are reported to have spent 15 million pounds for the forward who has a pretty good start to the 18/19 season scoring twelve times in his 19 games. His last ever goal came in the Ligue 1 clash between Nantes and French giants Marseille on December 5, 2018.
Abdoulaye Toure crossed from the right side of the pitch and Sala equalised with a swift looking header past Steve Mandanda in the 30th minute of the match. Marseille then went on to take the lead but Sala arrived at the scene once again assisting Toure for Nantes’ second goal of the game as both sides went off tied at half-tie. Nantes then went on to win the match 3-2 all thanks to the Argentine for his magnificent performance.
The 6ft 2in striker moved to France in 2010 where he signed for Bordeaux, his debut for the French side came in February 2012 where he came on as a substitute in a 3-1 Coupe de France round-of-16 defeat away at Lyon. After a handful of appearances for the club and following his lower league spells at Orleans, Chamois Niortais, and a brief spell at Caen, where he scored five times in 13 Ligue 1 appearances, Nantes came calling and took the forward to Stade de la Beaujoire on a five year deal in June 2015 for a 1m transfer fee.
Seeing the forwards quality, he was bound to flourish and it was in Brittany where the magic finally happened for Sala. He scored a total of 42 goals in 101 Ligue 1 appearances for Nantes where he worked with managers like Claudio Ranieri, who had won the Premier League with Leicester City in one of the best underdogs stories in the Premier League history. Sala was also linked for a reunion with his former boss at Fulham ahead of the current Transfer Window but it never happened as the agreement with Cardiff finally went through.
The Argentine who has had a healthy realtionship with the club and fans, having also become the first player to score a hattrick for Nantes since 2006 when Mamadou Diallo put three past FC Sochaux-Montbeliard. Sala seem to be excited coming to the English Premier League after he jokingly posted a tweet saying, “There is a new Sala in town”, the Argentine forward was keen on helping his new club avoid the relegation.
Finally, the reports emerged this morning after the authorities confirmed the dead body found in the airplane crash was that of Sala. Tributes from all around the world started flowing on social media since the news broke which clearly reflects his popularity among the masses and his colleagues.
Our hearts and prayers are with Sala’s family in this moment of despair. Rest In Peace Emiliano Sala.