Nantes Manager Vahid Halilhodžić Breaks Down In Tears During Emotional Tribute For Emiliano Sala

A visibly emotional Vahid Halilhodžić broke down in tears after the match between Nantes and Saint-Étienne came to a halt during a tribute to missing footballer Emiliano Sala.

The referee stopped the match before the ninth minute, leaving fans and players on both sides in the Stade de la Beaujoire to put on an incredible atmosphere.

When it came to the end of the minute-long tribute, the 66-year-old Nantes manager was spotted in a teary-eyed moment after the overwhelming reception that the Cardiff City player received.

Check out the video below.

What a beautiful moment, right?

"Oh, I'm heartbroken. Vahid is trying to hold back tears rolling out," one Twitter user wrote.

Another tweeted: "I feel so bad for the manager."

A third said: "Sala, forever in our hearts."

A fourth added: "One of the saddest things I've ever watched. Vahid at the end."

The Premier League side signed Sala from Nantes for a club-record fee of £15m in the January transfer window.

Nantes are one of many tributes that have poured in from the footballing world for the 28-year-old Argentine forward.

Paris Saint-Germain fans sang the footballer's name during a match at the Parc des Princes. Meanwhile, Arsenal included a touching tribute to the footballer in their match-day programme for the Cardiff City match.

The former Nantes star was travelling on an aircraft with pilot David Ibbotson, which went missing over the Channel Islands.

Following on from the Arsenal vs Cardiff City clash, Gunners boss Unai Emery said that it was an emotional match because of Sala's disappearance.

"I think firstly respect for the situation. Our thoughts are with Sala, his family, his friends. Cardiff and Nantes," he said.

"I was in France for two years with him. It's difficult to prepare in this situation. It was a very emotional match."

SPORTbible would like to send out its condolences to the families and friends of Mr Sala and Mr Ibbotson during this difficult time.

Featured Image Credit: Get French Football News

Topics: Football News, David Ibbotson, Football, Emiliano Sala, Ligue 1, Cardiff City

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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