Emiliano Sala: Cardiff boss Neil Warnock shattered by striker’s disappearance
Bluebirds will honour missing Argentine during tonight’s clash at Arsenal
Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock has revealed that the disappearance of record signing Emiliano Sala has left him “shattered” and that the past week has been the most difficult of his 40 years in football management.
After signing for Cardiff from Nantes for £15m on 19 January Argentine striker Sala returned to France to bid farewell to his former team-mates.
On 21 January the 28-year-old was set to travel back to the Welsh capital, but after taking off from Nantes with pilot David Ibbotson the Piper Malibu aircraft the duo were on disappeared from the radar near Guernsey.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A search for the missing plane was officially called off on Thursday. Sala’s family are continuing a private search after more than £290,000 was raised via crowdfunding.
Most difficult week
Tonight Cardiff City travel to Arsenal for their first match since Sala’s disappearance. The club has confirmed that staff and fans will honour the missing striker by wearing yellow daffodils at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the Premier League clash Warnock, 70, revealed that he has been considering quitting football, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Warnock said: “I’ve been in football management now for 40 years and it’s by far the most difficult week in my career by an absolute mile. Even now I can’t get my head around the situation.
“In an ideal world I don’t think I’d like another game at all. That’s how I feel at the minute. I think football is important but I think it does open up a lot more when tragedy like this happens... the place is so sombre all around the club that it’s almost like we need some sort of a game to get firing again.”
Bamba: Sala was part of us
Even though Sala never trained with his new team-mates Cardiff defender Sol Bamba says the striker was already part of the squad.
“It’s a human tragedy and if you’re human, you’re going to be hurt by it,” said Bamba. “You’re right to feel like that, it’s a tragedy. If you’ve got a heart, you’re going to be affected by it.
“From the minute he signed for us and came to see the boys to say hello, he was part of us, so everyone feels like he is part of the team.
“It was a tough week for everyone, we’ve all been hurt and affected by it. Everyone got together and obviously everyone has been talking to make sure we’re all okay. But it was a tough week.
“I’ve never seen the dressing room that quiet, everyone was so sad and it was a shock really. We have to hope, even if the chances are very slim, but we like to think there can be a happy ending hopefully.”
This week’s Premier League fixtures and TV guide
Tuesday 29 January (7.45pm unless stated)
- Arsenal vs. Cardiff City
- Fulham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- Huddersfield Town vs. Everton
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. West Ham United
- Manchester United vs. Burnley (8pm)
- Newcastle United vs. Manchester City (8pm, live on BT Sport 1)
Wednesday 30 January (7.45pm unless stated)
- AFC Bournemouth vs. Chelsea
- Southampton vs. Crystal Palace
- Liverpool vs. Leicester City (8pm, live on BT Sport 1)
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Watford (8pm)
Saturday 2 February (3pm unless stated)
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Newcastle United (12.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Watford
- Burnley vs. Southampton
- Chelsea vs. Huddersfield Town
- Crystal Palace vs. Fulham
- Everton vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Cardiff City vs. AFC Bournemouth (5.30pm, live on BT Sport 1)
Sunday 3 February
- Leicester City vs. Manchester United (2.05pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Manchester City vs. Arsenal (4.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
Monday 4 February
- West Ham United vs. Liverpool (8pm, live on Sky Sports)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
5 deliciously funny cartoons about turkeys
Cartoons Artists take on pardons, executions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published