Sevilla's Puerta 'suffered heart attack'
Antonio Puerta collapsed during Sevilla's match with Getafe
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Sunday, 26, Aug 2007 10:15
Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta has suffered a heart attack, club president Jose Maria del Nido has said.
Del Nido was speaking to Caderna Ser Radio after the player collapsed during Saturday night's league match against Getafe.
The 22-year-old Spanish international lost consciousness during the game before being escorted off the pitch towards the end of the first half.
While Sevilla went on to win the game 4-1, Puerta collapsed again in the changing rooms and was transported to Virgen del Rocio hospital.
A medical report has said the player's condition remains "very serious" following the events at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
"Antonio Puerta remains under sedation in the intensive care unit, with assisted ventilation and haemodynamic instability," the report added.
Team-mates and medical staff rushed to the aid of the Spanish international when he collapsed 35 minutes into the game while jogging towards his own goal.
Del Nido has praised the assistance given by club doctors to the player, implying that they may have saved his life.
"Fortunately the club doctors and the machines managed to resuscitate him but we experienced some terrible moments because the life of the player was in danger," the president has said in a statement on the club's website.
Getafe were later reduced to nine men in an incident-packed match, which Sevilla won with goals from Jesus Navas, Luis Fabiano and Freddie Kanoute cancelling out Pablo Henandez's opener for the visitors.