Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

Emiliano Sala’s former club in Argentina are naming their stadium after the tragic Cardiff City signing.

Former striker Sala, 28, died in a plane accident in January 2019 as he was en route to being unveiled as a Cardiff City player.

The striker died in the accident and his body was later pulled from the English Channel.

To honour his memory, Argentine club San Martin de Progreso, based in the Santa Fe Province located in the centre-east of Argentina, have decided to name their stadium the Emiliano Sala Stadium.

The club are also unveiling a mural dedicated to the footballer’s memory and inaugurating a gantry on Thursday 31st October, the footballer’s would-be 29th birthday.

The homage comes because the former Nantes midfielder started his footballing career in the San Martin club who play in the Liga Esperancina regional league.

The club’s president Daniel Ribero spoke with local media and 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 went on to explain the mural design which shows Sala celebrating one of his goals when he played in Ligue 1, was designed by Casilda Gabriel Griffa and was “an idea of one his friends that we loved”.

Ribero said the idea change the stadium’s name to the player’s came “after the body surfaced and the wake that was held in the club, the directive committee decided to name the main pitch where we play in the Esperancina League, Emiliano Sala.”

Local media report Sala’s mother Mercedes Taffarel and brother Dario Sala have confirmed their attendance to the inauguration however his sister has not.

Ribero said along with the family “friends, neighbours, club representatives, local government officials” will also attend, explaining “we wanted to do something quiet as there is not much to celebrate.”

As for a Cardiff presence at the ceremony, Ribero said “we have not had any more contact with the directors from Cardiff. When they were at Emiliano’s farewell the showed interest in giving us a hand” however Ribero said “they never got in touch”.

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