Chapecoense Real Players Involved in Tragic Plane Crash on Their Way to Copa Sudamericana

Brazilian Copa Sudamericana finalists Chapecoense Real, along with journalists and crew members, suffered a horrific tragedy in a plane crash in Colombia.

(Image credit: Ojogo)

The plane that was headed to Medellin, Colombia carried more than 80 people on board that included the Chapecoense Real squad, journalists and nine crew members. Early reports indicated that six people survived the crash, however unfortunately one person died in the hospital, leaving the disaster with 76 dead and five survivors, according to The Guardian.

According to the latest online soccer news, Footballers Danilo, Follmann, Alan Rushel are among the survivors of the Chapecoense Real players, while journalist Rafael Henzel and crew member Ximena Suarez are also among the ones that made it out alive from the plane crash.

Colombian news outlet Noticias Caracol remains hopeful the rescue team will find more survivors from the plane crash, with reports circulating that Chapecoense Real defender Zampier Neto could be among the lucky survivors as well.

Chapecoense Real – a side that were founded in 1973 in the city of Chapeco (State of Santa Catarina) – were set to play against Colombia’s Atletico Nacional in the final of the Copa Sudamericana. The Brazilian side were heavy underdogs heading into the first match of the finals – according to BoyleSports and other popular UK online sportsbooks– but were in high hopes as this is the furthest they have reached in competition.

(For more info about the online sportsbook, take a look at BoyleSports Review.)

Copa Sudamericana is the second tier club football tournament on South American’s football pyramid, right behind Copa Libertadores. The former is equivalent to the Europa League, which sits behind Europe’s elite competition the Champions League.

Earlier this year, Chapecoense Real clinched their fifth Campeonato Catarinense – Santa Catarina’s main football competition – in their relatively young 43-year existence. In addition to winning five state championships, the team from Chapeco have also won some other minor trophies: Copa Santa Catarina (2006), Taca Santa Catarina (1979), Taca Plinio Parlindo de Nez (1995), Campeonato Seletivo (2002) and Copa da Paz (2005).

Following the tragic plane crash, the question now lingers as to how the club will cope in the years to come, and whether they will receive assistance from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in efforts to restructure their squad.