Sevilla wing-back Antonio Puerta has died. The 22-year-old Spain international collapsed on the field after suffering a cardiac arrest during Saturday's Primera Liga game against Getafe.
Puerta was able to walk off but suffered a relapse in the dressing room and required cardiac resuscitation.
He was rushed to the Hospital Virgen del Rocio in Seville but died today.
Earlier doctors confirmed Puerta's condition had deteriorated.
Dr Francisco Murillo, head of the intensive care unit at the hospital, said: ‘The condition of patient Antonio Puerta is not favourable due to the progression of the postanoxic brain injury and the multiple organic dysfunction caused by the prolonged cardiac arrest that led to his admission to hospital.’
UEFA have postponed tonight's Champions League qualifier between AEK Athens and Juande Ramos' side.
The Sevilla squad is currently flying back to Spain from Greece.
Puerta, whose girlfriend is pregnant, had been a member of the Sevilla first team for three seasons and spent 14 years in total with the club he joined as a boy.
A later statement from Dr Murillo confirmed the death.
It read: ‘We regret to announce that the patient Antonio Puerta died at 14.30 (local time) as a consequence of postpanoxic encephalopathy and multiorganic dysfunction provoked by the cardiac arrest.’
