The football world has been in mourning since news came out that players of the Brazilian team Chapecoense were on board a plane that has crashed in Colombia, killing 71 people with only 6 survivors left behind.
Chapecoense is the first Brazilian team to reach the finals of Copa Sudamericana in three years. The tournament is South America's second biggest intercontinental club competition. It also marks the first time a team from Santa Catarina reached the decider of an international tournament. They had an incredible run on their way to the Copa Sudamericana, and were on the verge of making history as the highlight of an incredible season for the team as per ESPN.
"The pain is terrible. Just as we had made it, I will not say to the top, but to have national prominence, a tragedy like this happens," Ivan Tozzo, vice-president of the club, told Globo SportTV.
Colombian authorities released a statement that among the 77 passengers of the chartered La Mia 146 flight, 71 have been killed and only 6 survivors remained. The chartered flight declared emergency at 10PM local time on Monday due to electrical failure, then lost contact with ground controllers as it approached Medellin and crashed into a mountainous region. The survivors included Chapecoense goal keepr Jackson Follman and defenders Alan Ruschel and Helio Hermito Zampier Neto.
Atletico Nacional, their opponents for the final, have offered to concede the game and declare Chapecoense as the champions. The club also asked their fans to show up on the stadium at the time to which the game would have been held and dress in white and light up candles for solidarity.
Brazilian president Michael Temer announced three days of national mourning for the team. A minute of silence was held in the beginning of the practice sessions both for Real Madrid and Barcelona.
