- Title: Chapecoense crash survivor emotional at Nou Camp ovation
- Date: 8th August 2017
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (AUGUST 7, 2017) (REUTERS) CHAPECOENSE CAPTAIN, ALAN RUSCHEL, AT MIXED ZONE WITH JOURNALISTS RUSCHEL SHOWING TO JOURNALISTS HIS SHIRT SIGNED BY MESSI (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CHAPECOENSE CRASH SURVIVOR AND DEFENDER, ALAN RUSCHEL, SAYING: "The most exciting thing for me was when I entered the field and everything went through my head like a movie, like a movie about how I'd struggled to get here today. Of course, there were tough times, moments of loss. It's left a big scar. And so today I entered the field thanking my teammates who are no longer with us, thanking them for the strength they gave me, thanking my family, my wife, my friends and the fans who have helped me. I am very happy to be back." RUSCHEL SPEAKING TO REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2017 01:13
- Keywords: Barcelona Chapecoense soccer football Nou Camp
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016T5T16N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Barcelona's traditional curtain-raiser, the Joan Gamper Trophy, took on emotional significance with the visit of Chapecoense, the Brazilian team who lost most of their playing and coaching staff in an air crash last year.
The plane carrying Chapecoense to the Copa Sudamericana final, first leg against Atletico Nacional crashed into mountains outside Medellin, Colombia on Nov. 28 after running out of fuel, killing 71 of the 77 people on board.
Barca invited Chapecoense to contest the traditional friendly, named after the club's Swiss founder, 10 days after the crash, offering half the proceeds from the game to the Brazilian club in addition to making a donation of 250,000 euros ($294,875.00) to help the club's reconstruction.
The Liga side won 5-0 with goals from Gerard Deulofeu, Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Denis Suarez.
The players who survived the crash - Helio Neto, Jakson Follmann and Alan Ruschel - were given a separate tribute as they walked out of the tunnel at the Nou Camp after the teams emerged, while volunteers held up a heart-shaped banner in Chapecoense's green and white colours.
Defender Ruschel was playing his second game since suffering spinal injuries in the crash and wore the captain's armband, kissing the Nou Camp turf before the game began and raising his hands to the air in tribute to his fallen team mates.
The historic rivals will meet again twice in August 13 and 16 in the Spanish Super Cup and the International Champions Cup match set the entertainment bar high, with Barcelona maintaining their 100 per cent record in pre-season. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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