EMILIANO SALA: FELT "FORCED OUT" BY FC NANTES

Emiliano Sala felt 'forced out' by Nantes before plane crash
By Jenny Johnson

Footballer Emiliano Sala told a friend he felt forced out of his former club, days before he died in a plane crash.
The 28-year-old Argentine and pilot David Ibbotson, 59, were killed when the plane carrying him to his new club Cardiff City came down on 21 January 2019.

The BBC has heard a voice message in which Sala says he did not feel respected at French club Nantes. FC Nantes refused to comment on the message.

The BBC has heard a WhatsApp voice message, sent by Sala days before the fatal flight, in which he tells a friend he felt like he was being forced out of FC Nantes after asking for his contract to be extended four times.

Sent three days before he signed for Cardiff City in a record £15m deal, Sala said he felt he had not been been kept properly informed about the transfer plans.

He adds he has not decided whether to accept the offer and is "praying for something more interesting" to come along.

Speaking from Nimes Olympique, on the eve of what would turn out to be his final game for Nantes, Sala said after four years at the club: "They don't respect me, they don't value me.

"I haven't made a decision... I went to get some information from this club that wants me and wants to value me for what I'm worth... I'm going to be 29 this year so I have to think about it."

The priest at the church where he worshipped said the footballer was treated as "a toy" who had little or no control over the direction his career was taking.

I'd either read or heard this previously but it just goes to remind us that there are always two sides to a story; even a tragic one, and the background/circumstances of the whole episode were a culmination of almost fatalistic events that I don't think anyone can have the full blame for

Father Guillaume le Floc'h, priest at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Carquefou, a small town north of Nantes where Sala lived, said the player was a devout Catholic and a familiar visitor there.

He said the news of his transfer to Cardiff had been difficult, with changes being made, and he had blessed the footballer days before he died.

Father Guillaume le Floc'h said he had been really angry about the way Sala had been treated

"I felt as if he was like a toy... [with] people deciding for him... and that was really quite difficult to live with that," he said.

"Football players can be victims... People would say they also have some benefits from that because they earn so much money... Sure but in fact they don't have so many choices in life and that is not very respectful for their freedom."


Jean-Marcel Boudard, a sports journalist with Ouest France in Nantes, said the striker faced a "dilemma" over where to move for what he knew would be the final chapter of his career.

"It's a drama, a human tragedy about a man, which has shed light on the flaws of the business of football," he said.

"It's also a story that reminds us, because as journalists we tend to forget it, that the players are also human beings before being commodities between clubs."

I'd either read or heard this previously but it just goes to remind us that there are always two sides to a story; even a tragic one, and the background/circumstances of the whole episode were a culmination of almost fatalistic events that I don't think anyone can have the full blame for

I had heard the same Sven, whilst others acted immorally in this saga,I still feel sadly,that if the pilot had been honest,and not taken the huge responsibility of taking a flight he wasn't qualified to take,this sad chapter wouldn't have happened,I als feel perhaps our liason officer could perhaps have insisted on the flight offered by the club,should be the one he took,but in fairness to him,I doubt he would have been able to forsee what kind of flight/pilot had been in sala's words"sorted for me by the agent,so would assume all checks were in place regards the flight I'd imagine.as you say nobody can take the full blame,but to me the pilot issue really rankles.

I'd either read or heard this previously but it just goes to remind us that there are always two sides to a story; even a tragic one, and the background/circumstances of the whole episode were a culmination of almost fatalistic events that I don't think anyone can have the full blame for

I had heard the same Sven, whilst others acted immorally in this saga,I still feel sadly,that if the pilot had been honest,and not taken the huge responsibility of taking a flight he wasn't qualified to take,this sad chapter wouldn't have happened,I als feel perhaps our liason officer could perhaps have insisted on the flight offered by the club,should be the one he took,but in fairness to him,I doubt he would have been able to forsee what kind of flight/pilot had been in sala's words"sorted for me by the agent,so would assume all checks were in place regards the flight I'd imagine.as you say nobody can take the full blame,but to me the pilot issue really rankles.

Agree; and had the player arrived 'safely' at the end of his already nightmare flight, the rest would have seemingly been sorted 'as a matter of administrative course' and the world move on none the wiser...

Sadly, the tragedy did occur and lessons simply HAVE to be learned by all parties (I don't just mean the two footballing clubs) and if so, Emiliano Sala's lost life will not have been totally in vain

Better be proactive 'just in case it happens...', rather than reactive 'because it happened...'

I heard Nantes could not afford to turn £15mill down.
Also a few months earlier apparently Sala could of been bought for £5mill.

Simon Jordan defended us yesterday, he understands the standpoint the club have taken although he thinks the two Clubs should have met in the middle.

It looks as though we were ripped off with the 15m transfer fee, Sala didn’t really want to join us and would he really have saved us from relegation, sadly we will never know!

It looks as though we were ripped off with the 15m transfer fee, Sala didn’t really want to join us and would he really have saved us from relegation, sadly we will never know!

Hardly ripped off, as City agreed the deal. It's what followed that is in dispute

Simon Jordan defended us yesterday, he understands the standpoint the club have taken although he thinks the two Clubs should have met in the middle.

You're right

Simon Jordan is a pragmatic man and talks a lot of sense, whilst others talk sensational for TV/Radio purposes

And let's not forget City held out the olive branch of mediation only to be flatly rebuked by FC Nantes

Clearly they are motivated by money, just the same as City are and time will tell who is right it wrong (maybe even a mixture of both)

It looks as though we were ripped off with the 15m transfer fee, Sala didn’t really want to join us and would he really have saved us from relegation, sadly we will never know!

Its what happens in football player plays well and the price goes up. There was no ripping off.

Simon Jordan defended us yesterday, he understands the standpoint the club have taken although he thinks the two Clubs should have met in the middle.

You're right

Simon Jordan is a pragmatic man and talks a lot of sense, whilst others talk sensational for TV/Radio purposes

And let's not forget City held out the olive branch of mediation only to be flatly rebuked by FC Nantes

Clearly they are motivated by money, just the same as City are and time will tell who is right it wrong (maybe even a mixture of both)

He talks a lot of sense mate. Whatever the outcome it does seem to have been handled poorly. Waldemar Kita and Vincent Tan should have just got their heads together and come up with a plan but as you say, it seems like Nantes didn't want to play ball, I don't think that's the right approach in the circumstances but everyone's opinion will differ no doubt.

Simon Jordan defended us yesterday, he understands the standpoint the club have taken although he thinks the two Clubs should have met in the middle.

I could listen to Simon Jordan all day as he speaks very well and has that chairman experience.

It looks as though we were ripped off with the 15m transfer fee, Sala didn’t really want to join us and would he really have saved us from relegation, sadly we will never know!

Not ripped off exactly, but certain agent/s faked interest from bigger clubs,inflating the price 3 fold!!! Bigger sale,bigger cut for them. I did say before the tragedy that I had read he didn't want to come here,it was dragging out too long.although his mum has said he was looking forward to playing in the premier league with us? But he has been quoted as saying he would prefer to stay at nantes,where he was loved, and wait and see if a bigger club would come in later for him,although he was 29,so wouldn't have too much time to play with.such a sad waste of life