Warnock and Cardiff chief executive set to attend Sala’s funeral

The Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock and chief executive Ken Choo will attend Emiliano Sala’s funeral in Argentina tomorrow.

The 28-year-old had signed for Cardiff in a club-record £15million move from Nantes last month, but was killed when the private plane carrying him crashed in the English Channel near Alderney.

Sala’s body was recovered from the wreckage last week. Pilot David Ibbotson remains missing, with funds being raised to continue the search, to which Cardiff owner Vincent Tan has made a personal donation of £50,000.

A club spokesman said that Warnock and Choo would be part of a Cardiff delegation attending the funeral in the town of Progreso in the province of Santa Fe.

Cardiff do not have a game this weekend as they are out of the FA Cup, and the club delegation is expected to be back in South Wales on Sunday or Monday.

Sala’s body will be repatriated to Argentina today ahead of a wake at his boyhood club San Martin de Progreso tomorrow.

San Martin de Progreso posted an emotional tribute on Facebook, saying: “We are waiting for you … like the first day you left but this time to stay with us forever. You went and you are an example for everyone. Eternally in our hearts.”

Ouest France reported that Sala’s former club, Nantes, would be represented at the funeral by defender Nicolas Pallois and general secretary Loic Morin. Pallois, a close friend of Sala, will miss Nantes’ Ligue 1 game at Monaco tomorrow to attend the funeral.