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What's the Story?
Chennaiyin FC fans have shown a wonderful gesture to honour Emiliano Sala in their match against Bengaluru FC by turning on their flashlight in the 9th minute. The fan club selected the ninth minute in particular as the Argentine worn the same jersey number for Nantes FC in the Ligue 1. The 76-year-old club has retired the aforementioned jersey number.
In case you don't know...
Emiliano Sala scored 12 goals in 19 matches for Nantes FC in the 2018-19 season and the world took note of his goalscoring prowess. Cardiff City FC took note of his talent and roped him in by splurging a record £15 million transfer fee. The Bluebirds were in the nineteenth spot in the English Premier League and the management thought his knack of creating chances out of thin air and finding the back of the net would help them avoid relegation.
However, on his way returning to Cardiff from Nantes, the Piper Malibu aircraft carrying him and the pilot disappeared midway on January 21. After an extensive investigation, a body was recovered from the wreckage on February 7. Dorsot police confirmed that the body belonged to Emiliano Sala later that day.
The heart of the matter
This is not the first instance ISL has honoured the global footballing family's loss by honouring Emiliano Sala. In yesterday's encounter between Jamshedpur FC and Mumbai City FC, a minute of silence was observed before the kick-off.
Kerala Blasters' Manjappada fan club also brought out a poster to honour Emiliano Sala in their away fixture against Bengaluru FC before his body was found out.
Chennaiyin FC fans came with a brilliant gesture to remember the Argentine striker. The fans turned on their flashlight and kept it on for the entire ninth minute. Once the ball went out of play, the ISL cameras panned towards the audience so that the ones watching the game in television could witness it.
