The Nacional defender died on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday in Brazil, five days after collapsing during a Copa Libertadores match against Brazilian club São Paulo FC on Thursday, August 22.
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New tragedy on a football field. Juan Izquierdo, player of the Uruguayan club Nacional, who collapsed on the pitch in the 84th minute of the match lost against São Paulo (0-2), last Thursday, August 22, in the Copa Libertadores, died, during the night of Tuesday, August 27 to Wednesday, August 28, at the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo, as announced by his club on social networks, surrounded by his loved ones. “It is with the greatest sadness and heavy hearts that the Club Nacional de Football announces the passing of our beloved player Juan Izquierdoit is written in the press release. The whole Nacional is in mourning for this irreparable loss. May he rest in peace. Juan, you will always be with us.”
The 27-year-old defender, who suffered a heart attack, was initially treated on the pitch at the Morumbi stadium before being quickly taken to the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo (Brazil). Juan Izquierdo was initially reported to be in a stable condition by doctors, leading to optimism from Nacional president Alejandro Balbi on local radio. He then claimed that his defender was “a healthy young player”that “everything should return to normal, but we had to be patient”.
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Three days later, hope gave way to deep concern after a new health report was published by the hospital. “Patient Juan Izquierdo underwent new tests this Sunday, August 25. The evaluation showed a progression of brain damage and an increase in intracranial pressure. Juan remains in neurological intensive care, dependent on mechanical ventilation.”the doctors said. News that forced the president of the Nacional to concede, on DirecTV: “Juan’s situation is critical, there has been no improvement, on the contrary, there has been a slight setback. We managed to stabilise him, but unfortunately, the doctors have not managed to get him out of this delicate state.”
Many messages of support had flowed in, from the São Paulo club, but also from Uruguayan internationals Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez. Juan Izquierdo’s wife, with whom he had two children – the second was born a week before the tragedy – had also taken over the player’s Instagram account to ask his fans to pray for him. In Uruguay, competitions have been suspended.
In the press, Alejandro Balbi had affirmed that Juan Izquierdo had not presented any cardiac abnormality on “Electrocardiograms performed each year on all players”. Words that contrast with those of the national secretary of Sports in Uruguay, Sebastian Bauza, who had declared on the radio Carve Deportiva that Izquierdo’s cardiac arrhythmia had been detected ten years ago: “As part of the Gol al Futuro programme, tests were carried out on the Cerro team, where Juan Izquierdo played at the time, and they revealed this arrhythmia. But having one, as often happens, does not mean that you cannot play football. He had to be monitored and we are sure that the doctors of the different clubs where he played examined him.”
Following the announcement of the death, the São Paulo club reacted on its social networks by speaking “of deep sadness”.
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez also shared his feelings on his Instagram account. “pain, sadness, hard to explain”while former Parisian Lucas Moura, who now plays for São Paulo and who had prayed at the player’s foot when he was being treated by the medical team on the pitch, sent his “thoughts to his family and friends”.