Warnock and Choo to attend Sala funeral

CARDIFF City boss Neil Warnock and chief executive Ken Choo will attend Emiliano Sala’s funeral in Argentina this week.

The pair will be part of a Bluebirds delegation travelling to Santa Fe for the ceremony, after Sala’s body was recovered from the plane wreckage and identified by authorities last week.

A coroner confirmed the cause of death and Cardiff City offered to help fund the costs of flying Sala’s body back to his hometown of Progreso, while the French Consulate is ultimately responsible for the repatriation of Sala’s body.

Both Warnock and Choo had met with Sala several times in the negotiations to take him to the Bluebirds from Nantes in a club record £15million deal, before tragedy struck.

Sala and pilot David Ibbotson were on board the light aircraft, a Piper Malibu, that crashed into the English Channel on January 21.

The search continues to find Mr Ibbotson with a crowdfunding effort backed by Cardiff owner Vincent Tan along with football stars like Kylian Mbappe, Ilkay Gundogan and Gary Lineker.

The Bluebirds have paid tribute to Sala in their recent games against Arsenal, Bournemouth and Southampton.

BALE FACES LA LIGA BAN

GARETH Bale could face a ban of up to 12 matches for making an offensive gesture to Atletico Madrid fans after scoring for Real Madrid last weekend.

The Wales superstar has been reported by La Liga to the Spanish Competition Committee for the gesture which has been described as “inciting opposition fans”.

Bale celebrated scoring the third goal in a 3-1 win for Real, his 100th for the club, against their Madrid rivals.

His arm gesture, known as the “sleeve-cutter” was captured by TV cameras.

He could be suspended for up to 12 games, if he is sanctioned.