Nacional’s Izquierdo collapsed mid-game after suffering cardiac arrhythmia :: Ole

A very tense situation developed in Brazil in the match that Saint Paul He received Nacional from Uruguay for the rematch of the 1/8 finals of the Copa Libertadores. The Brazilian team leads with a score of 2:0. Juan Izquierdofrom Charrua, fell to the floor, unconscious. After he fainted, he was immediately given medical assistance and taken away in an ambulance.

Shortly before 10pm, Montevideo radio station Sport 890 confirmed that Izquierdo’s health is fragile, he is intubated and in intensive care.

The first clarification came at 11:25 p.m., three hours after the game, from the national team’s report. “Juan Izquierdo suffered from cardiac arrhythmia during the match against San Pablo. He is being treated at CTI Albert Einstein Hospital. His condition is currently stable and under observation. We will continue to update information,” the statement said.

The collapse occurred in the 39th minute of the second half. The first person to help the 27-year-old Uruguayan was Ecuadorian Robert Arboleda, who began fanning him and blowing air on him, while other players moved in to surround and protect him.

His partner Nicholas Rodriguez tried to revive him by applying something like cotton wool to his nose (probably with the help of alcohol to stimulate an immediate response). Callery’s anxiety was enormous.

Less than a minute later, Morumbi’s ambulance was on the pitch to help him, and both teams’ players, coaching staff and staff were clearly concerned about the recovery of the Uruguayan midfielder, who was replaced by Emiliano Velasquez.

It is worth noting that the Uruguayan team’s defender came on at half-time to replace Sebastian Coates.

The rapid assistance of the ambulance allowed him to be taken away. They were going to take him to the hospital of São Luís, but in fact he went to a place near Morumbi, the Albert Einstein Hospital, very prestigious in Brazil. Even members of the medical brigade of São Pablo went there to accompany the delegation of Nacional.

Despite uncertainty as to whether the match would continue or not, referee John Alexander Ospina Londoño blew the whistle to restart the match more than ten minutes later.

Martin Lasarte’s team tried unsuccessfully to fight back two goals and were eliminated from the Libertadores with an unfavourable aggregate score of 2-0. After the game, neither the coach nor the players agreed to speak to the press and went to inquire about Izquierdo’s health. Very worried national leaders were seen approaching the hospital.

Around 9:30 p.m., it became known that Nacional had managed to postpone the return flight to Montevideo because the entire delegation wanted to remain in San Pablo to await Izquierdo’s diagnosis.