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SAO PAULO — Nacional defender Juan Izquierdo collapsed on the pitch and was taken to hospital after suffering an irregular heartbeat during the second leg of a Copa Libertadores round of 16 tie against Sao Paulo at Brazil's Morumbi stadium on Thursday.
Izquierdo had replaced Sebastian Coates for the Uruguayan club at halftime but fell to the ground unconscious in the 84th minute without any contact from another player.
Players from both sides immediately called for medical assistance. Still unconscious, the 27-year-old was taken off the pitch in an ambulance to the applause of the fans.
Juan Izquierdo collapses on field (Warning: Graphic)
Juan Izquierdo, defensor de Nacional, se descompensó en pleno partido ante São Paulo en el Morumbí ⚠️
➜ Fue atendido rápidamente y salió en ambulancia. Desde este espacio deseamos que no sea nada grave pic.twitter.com/15isquSF75— Out of Context Libertadores (@OoCLibertadores) August 22, 2024
"Juan Izquierdo suffered an irregular heartbeat during the match against Sao Paulo," Nacional posted on social media platform X.
"He is being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Albert Einstein Hospital. He is currently in stable condition and remains under observation."
Juan Izquierdo sufrió una arritmia cardíaca durante el partido ante San Pablo. Es atendido en el CTI del hospital Albert Einstein. Actualmente se encuentra estable y permanece en observación. Seguiremos actualizando la información.
¡Fuerza, Juan! pic.twitter.com/anZOMjP5aQ— Nacional (@Nacional) August 23, 2024
Sao Paulo wished Izquierdo a speedy recovery in a post on X.
The match continued with goals from Damian Bobadilla and Jonathan Calleri giving Sao Paulo a 2-0 win which, after a scoreless draw in the first leg, sent them through to an all-Brazilian quarter-final clash against Botafogo.
(Writing by Angelica Medina in Mexico City, editing by Peter Rutherford)
