The Uruguayan defender died this Tuesday, in Sao Paulo, which once again hosts a football match in the midst of global turmoil
On Tuesday night, the Albert Einstein Hospital confirmed the death of defender Juan Izquierdo, 27, a father of two, after suffering a sudden illness during the match between Sao Paulo and Nacional-URU, for the Copa Libertadores.
Several Uruguayan players paid tribute to their compatriot and expressed solidarity with his family, shaken by the sad tragedy that has generated a wave of international emotion. In Uruguay, two rounds of the local championship were postponed even before last weekend, due to the collective agony of the country.
In Brazil, soccer will not stop. Less than 24 hours after Izquierdo’s death was confirmed, the Morumbi, the stadium where the player lost consciousness due to cardiac arrhythmia, will once again host an official match.
Sao Paulo and Atlético-MG face each other in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil. The CBF issued a statement specifying that the matches will have a minute of silence dedicated to Izquierdo, but it is not even considering postponing the competition.
Last Sunday, in the match against Vitória, the players of São Paulo were very shaken after experiencing the drama of a colleague’s sudden illness. Uruguayan midfielder Michel Araújo left the pitch in tears, while coach Luis Zubeldía summed up the group’s feelings towards Izquierdo: “He is one of us.”
It is not only the Uruguayan or São Paulo athletes who are emotionally devastated by the death of such a young teammate. It is a hard blow for the entire football community, even more so for the players deprived of grief, inserted in a crazy calendar that has no time to postpone matches, much less to sympathize with tragedies.
Source: Terra
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