Advertisement Cardiff City stadium was flooded with tributes to footballer Emiliano Sala ahead of the team's Premier League clash with Bournemouth today as players warmed up in shirts adorned with the missing striker's face. Hundreds of Cardiff City fans were seen laying scarves, daffodils and caps inscribed with Sala's name outside Cardiff City Stadium in their first home game since the footballer's disappearance. A picture of Sala adorned the big screen inside the stadium as everyone observed a 'moment's reflection' for the striker and the pilot captaining their ill-fated flight across the Channel. Cardiff were able to see out the game and win 2-0 in an emotionally charged day that saw a tearful Neil Warnock salute the fans after the final whistle. Goalscorer, Bobby Reid said after the game on his touching celebration honouring Sala: 'The lads have had a tough few weeks so it was good to do that for him [Sala] and his family.' Cardiff City fans hold up tributes for Emiliano Sala as tearful manager Neil Warnock applauds them at the end of the match Players from both sides and supporters observe a moment of reflection to honour Cardiff's Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala Cardiff City's Bobby Reid celebrates scoring their first goal by displaying a shirt paying tribute to Emiliano Sala Cardiff City fan pays tribute to Emiliano Sala with a 50/50 flag showing the Nantes and Cardiff football club logos BT Sport co-commentator, John Hartson, said during the game that he's sure that Cardiff manager Neil Warnock would have told his players: 'Go and win the game for Sala and his family.' Within five minutes Cardiff went 1-0 up, with the scorer - Bobby Reid - hoisting a shirt with Sala's face on it in celebration. He scored again at the start of the second half and seemed to pound the Sala tribute on his chest. The commentator said of the Cardiff fans: 'Emiliano Sala will forever be a part of their folklore. He certainly has a place in everybody's hearts here, the signing they never saw.' One tribute in the crowd read: 'Emiliano Sala, forever a Bluebird.' A fan holds up a shirt with showing their respects towards Emiliano Sala during the Premier League match A Cardiff City fan holds up a scarf paying tribute to Emiliano Sala during the match that Cardiff were able to see through A display of Cardiff City scarves and jerseys, flowers, messages and other tributes to the football club's new signing Emiliano Sala Sol Bamba, the captain of Cardiff City leads out the team with a bouquet of flowers as a memorial to the missing striker Cardiff City's Sol Bamba and Bournemouth's Andrew Surman, the two side's captains, lay bouquets of daffodils on the pitch A visibly upset Neil Warnock, manager of Cardiff City takes part in a minute of silence in respect to Emiliano Sala Cardiff City's Brian Murphy and Neil Etheridge wearing a tribute to Emiliano Sala during the warm up before the match against Bournemouth tonight In Wednesday's match between Sala's former club, Nantes, and AS Saint-Étienne play was stopped by the referee after nine minutes to honour their number nine. The moving scenes, including players wearing warm up shirts with Sala's face on them, come as the US marine scientist behind the private hunt for the wreckage of Emiliano Sala's plane promised to find answers for the star's family - but warned that the plane has 'clearly broken up'. David Mearns revealed his confidence in finding the missing plane during a press conference at St Peter Port harbour, Guernsey, at the end of Crown Pier, today. He said search efforts to recover the missing plane would begin at 3am on Sunday and would focus on a 4sq nautical mile area of the seabed north of Guernsey. The scientist believes that they will find the wreckage by Tuesday. Cardiff City mascot Bartley Bluebird displays a banner paying tribute to Emiliano Sala, urging fans to sing his name Cardiff City's English striker Rhys Healey (C) and teammates warm up wearing shirts with a picture of Sala on their kits Cardiff City's Icelandic midfielder Aron Gunnarsson and teammates warm up wearing shirts with a picture of Sala A view of the match day programme with an image of Emiliano Sala on the cover in remembrance during the Premier League match at the Cardiff City Stadium Tributes left to Emiliano Sala outside the Cardiff City ground before the match included these football boots and Cardiff shirt Emiliano Sala, pictured, told loved ones he was worried the plane was falling apart in WhatsApp messages before take-off Football fans lay flowers and scarves outside Cardiff City Stadium in tribute to footballer Emiliano Sala Cardiff City fans lay tributes outside the stadium during the Premier League match today Daffodils and scarves were placed outside Cardiff City Stadium in honour of Emiliano Sala The Cardiff City player went missing along with pilot David Ibbotson almost a fortnight ago Blue caps were placed on the ground outside the stadium with messages to Emiliano Sala The tributes were seen ahead of the Premier League match between Cardiff City and AFC Bournemouth Fans observe the scarves and flowers laid outside Cardiff City Stadium in honour of Emiliano Sala Scarves which pictured the Cardiff City player were also placed against the railings in honour of the footballer Daffodils were seen amid a sea of blue outside the stadium ahead of the Premier League match An AFC Bournemouth fan wears a daffodil in tribute to the Cardiff City footballer The plane carrying 28-year-old Sala and pilot David Ibbotson disappeared over the English Channel on January 21 after leaving Nantes in France for Cardiff. Mr Mearns says the cooperation between his private search and the government led search 'has been tremendous'. He also thanked the local authorities for their assistance. Bournemouth's Charlie Daniels during the Premier League match at the Cardiff City Stadium The Piper Malibu carrying Cardiff City's new signing Sala vanished over the Channel Islands on Monday January 21 after hitting bad weather en route to Wales from Nantes in France<doc-sep>Neil Warnock was moved to tears when he was hit by the sheer pride of managing a Cardiff City side who did their missing striker Emiliano Sala proud. The veteran manager had challenged his players to detach themselves from last month’s tragedy and “move mountains” to stay in the Premier League. But instead he watched his men feed off the emotional energy inside the stadium to seal a 2-0 triumph thanks to Bobby Reid’s goals at the start of each half on his 26th birthday. Warnock had been in close contact with Sala as he orchestrated the move that ended in disaster and he is certain their lost player would have been proud of the impassioned performance. “I was very emotional, I was all right until the final whistle went and I went on the pitch,” Warnock said. “Every fan stayed and the noise volume was amazing. I’ve never seen or heard anything like it and I will remember it for the rest of my life. “Knowing the lad Emiliano as I did, I think he would have been really with us today. I just felt immense pride. We had to show everybody our support for him. We’ve done him proud today. “It was almost like we couldn’t be beaten, the crowd would not let us be beaten. It was fabulous being on the touchline. “The players all knew what they had to do. We spoke about Emiliano in the dressing room but I think what was said should be kept inside. I am just really proud and I am sure he would have been.”<doc-sep>Tragedy has an amazing way of bringing football fans together and on Wednesday night Cardiff City fans proved that once again by travelling to Nantes to pay tribute to Emiliano Sala. It's just 11 days ago that Cardiff City signed Emiliano Sala from Nantes before tragedy befell the Argentinian striker. Just two days later the plane carrying him, and being flown by pilot David Ibbotson, disappeared into the English channel. Since then football has been in mourning and at Premier League grounds players have been paying tribute to the former Nantes striker with minutes silence and applause. Cardiff fans pay tribute to Sala. Image: PA Images Advert 10 At the Emirates on Tuesday Cardiff were the visitors and both captains laid bouquets of flowers before kick off, a minute silence was held and fans waved Argentina flags and shirts. The Gunners also added Sala's name to the list of Cardiff players and replaced his shirt number with a flower. On Wednesday night Nantes hosted their first game since the horrible news came through last week as they played St Etienne in Ligue 1. Nantes played their own tribute to their former striker and in the crowd were also some Cardiff fans who brought a banner they'd initially unfurled at Arsenal the night before: Advert 10 Cardiff fans have travelled to Nantes for their game tonight to pay respects to Emiliano Sala. :clap: The banner reads: "We never saw you play and never saw you score, Emiliano our beautiful bluebird we will love you forever more." pic.twitter.com/oK5GmjTAju - The Away Fans (@theawayfans) January 30, 2019 The game at the Stade de la Beaujoire was halted on nine minutes to pay respect to Sala, relating to his former shirt number, and the crowd erupted into applause at the break. The players paid tribute to their former teammate by wearing t-shirts saying 'We love you Emi' in the warm up. FC Nantes' players warming up tonight with "We love you Emi" t-shirts on in homage for Emiliano Sala. ' :camera_with_flash: @FCNantes pic.twitter.com/wEPDXPlzbn - Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 30, 2019 Advert 10<doc-sep>Cardiff City paid tribute to Emiliano Sala before and after their most recent game, against Arsenal, and will do the same against Bournemouth. It has undoubtedly been one of the toughest periods in the club's history since Sala and pilot David Ibbotson disappeared on Monday 21st January in a light aircraft destined for Cardiff from Nantes. Former Bluebirds and Wales striker Nathan Blake talks emotionally about the tragedy, how Cardiff City have coped with the most unimaginable situation in this week's podcast. There are also footballing questions to be answered: How much hope can the performance at Arsenal give Bluebirds fans? What would be an ideal transfer window? And can Neil Warnock's side get a result against Bournemouth to boost their chances of staying in the Premier League? Blakey is joined by Cardiff City Correspondent Dominic Booth and WalesOnline Head of Sport Paul Abbandonato for the podcast, which is sponsored by Giovanni's Restaurants. He's also taking on a new game this week in his predictions... the Footie5. Listen: If you'd like to get in touch with Blakey, tweet us @CardiffCityLive or head to Cardiff City Online on Facebook. You can also listen on Acast or Spotify or subscribe on iTunes where you can also give us a rating.<doc-sep>
Cardiff City will again pay tribute to Emiliano Sala before their Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Saturday evening. It is the Bluebirds' first home encounter since the tragic disappearance of their new signing Sala, who went missing along with pilot David Ibbotson in a light aircraft over the Channel Islands almost a fortnight ago. The incident has rocked the club, its staff, players and supporters, with the midweek game at Arsenal bearing witness to an outpouring of tributes that is set to be matched at Cardiff City Stadium. With boss Neil Warnock admitting the Sala tragedy has affected Cardiff's dealings in the transfer market - though he praised their spirited performance at the Emirates Stadium - emotions are sure to run high once again. The club plan to honour Sala with captains of both Cardiff and Bournemouth to lay flowers in the centre circle, before a moment of reflection started and finished by the referee's whistle. Players and officials will also wear dafodills on their clothing, the flower which due to its yellow colour and connections with Wales has become a symbol of the shared grief between Sala's old club Nantes (nicknamed the Canaries due to their yellow kit) and Cardiff City. The Cardiff players will also warm up in t-shirts paying tribute to Sala. A tribute will be displayed in the USW Stand and Bluebirds fans will again unfurl their banner that honours Sala, saying: "We never saw you play and never saw you score, but Emiliano our beautiful Bluebird we will love you forever more." The same banner has been on display at the commemoration spot by the Fred Keenor statue outside Cardiff City Stadium, which is still a place for fans to lay down scarves, flowers and shirts in tribute to Sala. Some Cardiff fans also took it to Nantes' match against St Etienne on Wednesday night, at which there were a number of astonishingly emotional tributes. The tributes planned Captains (for the day) Sol Bamba and Andrew Surman will lay flowers in the centre circle The stadium will pause for a moment's reflection Cardiff staff will wear daffodils on their lapels Bluebirds fans will unveil banners and messages of tribute to Emiliano Sala Supporters are advised to take their seats earlier before Saturday's 5.30pm kick off, with the tributes to get well under way before kick off.