Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta is still in a critical condition after collapsing and losing consciousness during his side's Spanish first division match against Getafe on Saturday, doctors said.

 

He remains in intensive care "with assisted ventilation and under sedation after a prolonged cardiac arrest," doctors at the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville told a news conference on Monday.

 

"The arrest has been caused by repeated incidents of serious ventricular arrhythmia. These are being controlled with treatment.

 

"The patient's situation, 36 hours after being brought in, continues to be critical as a result of the serious consequences of the cardiac arrest, including some effects on the brain.

 

"When a patient is in a critical state there is always a risk. Also, after a cardiac arrest as prolonged as this it is too early to give a prognosis or to venture possible after-effects."

 

The 22-year-old Spanish international collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the game at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

 

Team mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness.

 

He was able to walk from the pitch but doctors said that he collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2007)