Uruguay suspended all football activities during the weekend on Friday due to “the delicate health situation of Juan Izquierdo,” after the defender of National suffered a cardiac arrhythmia during the match against Sao Paulo for the Copa Libertadores. Izquierdo, who replaced Sebastián Coates at half-time, fell to the ground unconscious in the 84th minute without coming into contact with any other player.
Juan Izquierdo, surrounded by players from Nacional and Sao Paulo
The 27-year-old was taken off the pitch in an ambulance while still unconscious. He is being treated in the intensive care unit of the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo.
“Given the delicate health situation of footballer Juan Izquierdo, we are announcing our decision to suspend the professional football activity scheduled for this weekend,” said the association for the rights of professional footballers in Uruguay, Mutual (MUFP).
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“Our priority at this time is to ensure Juan’s well-being, so we will closely monitor his progress in the coming hours,” the association added. Nacional posted on social media that Izquierdo is stable and remains sedated in the hospital’s intensive care unit, where he will be “under observation for at least the next 72 hours.”
