Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Mascots lay flowers down as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
LONDON (Reuters) - Tributes were paid to Emiliano Sala before Cardiff City's Premier League clash at Arsenal on an emotional night at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Cardiff were playing for the first time since the light aircraft carrying Sala to join his new team mates disappeared over the English Channel last Monday.
Sol Bamba, Cardiff's captain, carried daffodils onto the pitch while Arsenal skipper Mesut Ozil also laid a floral tribute to the 28-year-old who is presumed dead.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 General view during a minute's silence as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
"We never saw you play, we never saw you score, but Emiliano, our beautiful Bluebird, we will love you forever more," one banner held by Cardiff fans read.
Arsenal won the match 2-1.
Sala's family had requested that black arm bands were not worn by the players, but Cardiff fans held up yellow placards in the away end, the club colour of Nantes, from whom Sala joined Cardiff during the transfer window.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Fans hold up yellow sheets and a flag as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Sala's name was also listed in the Cardiff squad in the matchday programme, with a daffodil symbol rather than a squad number next to his name.
The daffodil is a symbol of Welsh identity.
An image of Sala was shown on the video screens around the ground.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 A fan holds up a sign as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
"What's gone on this week is unprecedented, really. I can't explain really how it's been," Cardiff manager Neil Warnock told reporters.
"You've not really wanted to get out of bed because everything was really miserable. Nobody could do anything about it. It's been really difficult.
"I know we've lost a game of football but there are more important things."
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Fans hold up yellow sheets and a FC Nantes scarf as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Tributes were also made to Sala at other matches on Tuesday.
Sala, Cardiff's record signing but who had yet to play for the Welsh club, was flying to Britain when the single-engined plane he was in vanished.
No trace of the plane, being flown by pilot David Ibbotson, has been found and an official search has been called off.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City fans before the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Sala's family have continued a private search and have raised almost $420,000 on a GoFundMe page.
($1 = 0.8747 euros)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 General view of a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar/Greg Stutchbury)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 A Cardiff City fan wearing a daffodil as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City fans display an Argentina flag as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City chief executive Ken Choo wearing a daffodil as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City fans display an Argentina flag with daffodils as a tribute to Emiliano Sala before the match REUTERS/Eddie KeoghSoccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 General view of a Cardiff City fan wearing a daffodil as a tribute to Emiliano Sala REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
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