Emiliano Sala: Arsenal make heartfelt gesture on programme for Premier League clash vs Cardiff City

The Argentine striker is still missing after his plane disappeared over the English channel on his way to Cardiff after clinching a club record move from Nantes

Arsenal have delivered a heartfelt gesture on their official matchday programme to missing Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala.

The Gunners included the Argentine’s name on the team sheet on the reverse of the programme.

And instead of a squad number, Arsenal included a daffodil.

The former Nantes striker is still missing after his plane disappeared over the English Channel last week, with an extensive search failing to uncover a sign of the plane.

Laurent Koscielny also wrote about the situation, insisting he is glad that the search is ongoing after briefly stopping before calls from around the football world and Sala’s family to restart it.

“It is hard to get into the game at times. You have to be professional, but you also feel the emotion, the sadness around you,” wrote the Gunners captain.

“There are things far more important than football and you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I am very happy that the searches are now continuing.”

The Arsenal programme included Emiliano Sala’s name on the team sheet (Luke Brown)

“It shows that football is a big family. When something sad happens, we all get together and we all help each other.”

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock has earlier commented that it was “by far the most difficult week” in his 40 years in the game.