Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died Tuesday, three days after collapsing on the field during his team's Spanish league match against Getafe.

 

 

Sevilla's midfielder Antonio Puerta (C) leaves the field assisted by a doctor during their Spanish first division soccer match against Getafe at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville in this August 25, 2007, file photo. Puerta died on Tuesday, three days after collapsing during a Primera Liga match, Spanish media reported. Picture taken August 25, 2007. (Reuters)

 

The 22-year-old Puerta had been in an intensive care unit since Saturday and had been given assisted ventilation but his condition worsened Tuesday, the Virgen del Rocio hospital said.

 

A statement by his managers was expected to be released shortly.

 

Puerta lost consciousness and fell near his own goal Saturday in the 31st minute, but was able to walk off minutes later after being treated by team doctors.

 

But doctors said he had a heart attack in the dressing room, and at least one more in the emergency room of the Seville hospital where he was taken.

 

Sevilla, which beat Getafe 4-1 in the match, was scheduled to play at AEK Athens on Tuesday in the second leg of Champions League qualifying, but the match was postponed. Sevilla won the first leg 2-0.

 

"UEFA, after a joint request by AEK and the Sevilla team, has decided to postpone the game because of the death of football player Antonio Puerta and the tragic events from the fires in Greece," AEK said.

 

AEK, which had previously asked for the match to be postponed due to the fires across Greece that have killed 64 people in five days, said the game will be played Monday.

 

Puerta, who was born in Sevilla, has played for Spain's national team and scored one of Sevilla's penalties in the shootout win over Espanyol in May in the UEFA Cup final.

 

He also scored an injury-time goal that led Sevilla over Schalke in the semifinals of the 2006 UEFA Cup. Sevilla went on to win the final, beating Middlesbrough 4-0.

 

Other soccer players who have died after collapsing on the field include Benfica's Miklos Feher in 2004 and Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe at the 2003 Confederations Cup in France.

 

(China Daily via AP August 29, 2007)