A footballer's heart stopped during a Copa Libertadores match. He is on the verge of life and death
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
An ordinary Copa Libertadores match between Brazil's São Paulo and Uruguay's Nacional could turn tragic, as one of its participants is now fighting for his life.
We are talking about the defender Juan Izquierdo, who lost consciousness on the pitch due to a cardiac arrest. According to ESPN, his condition is considered by doctors as ‘life-threatening’. The 27-year-old player is now in intensive care on a ventilator.
Doctors at the São Paulo hospital where Izquierdo is currently staying released a statement saying that the defender has ‘progressive brain damage and increased intracranial pressure.’
His family, as well as Nacional executives, are with him at the treatment facility. Earlier, matches in Uruguay's top two divisions were postponed due to Izquierdo's condition, and São Paulo players turned out for Brazil's league match against Vitoria wearing shirts supporting the player.
