London - Chapecoense have started to rebuild after the devastating plane crash in Colombia that killed 71 people, with the club completing the loan signings of three players from other Brazilian clubs on the same day that they were awarded the Copa Sudamericana trophy.
A plane carrying the club to their Copa Sudamericana final first leg crashed earlier this month in the mountain region near Medellin, with all but three of the players on board. Among the 71 dead, six people in total survived.
TRIBUTE: Video showing some of the Chapecoense players who died during a plane crash is screened at the Copa Libertadores draw. Photo: Reuters/Jorge Adorno
The news stunned the football world, and among an outpouring of tributes and support, four major clubs in Brazil offered to loan Chapecoense players for free in an effort to help them rebuild the club.
That has now begun, with Brazilian sides Juventude and Cruzeiro allowing goalkeeper Elias and defender Douglas Grolli join respectively in a deal that does not include a fee and sees their wages split between the two clubs.
Chapecoense have also signed attacking midfielder Dodo from Colombian side Atletico Minreiro, the side that they were due to play in the Copa Sudamericana final, on similar terms.
The directors of Coritiba, Corinthians, Palmeiras, Portuguesa, Santos and Sao Paulo has all publicly stated that they will help Chapecoense build a new squad by loaning them players, and have also requested that the Brazilian Football Confederation [CBF] rule the club exempt from relegation for the next three seasons.
The club’s newly-elected president, Plinio David, attended Wednesday night’s Copa Libertadores draw – the South American equivalent of the Champions League – which Chapecoense have qualified for by virtue of being crowned Copa Sudamericana champions.
David was presented with the trophy in an emotional ceremony that saw further tributes to those who died in the plane crash, and it comes as the first steps are taken by the club to try and start from scratch after the devastating tragedy.
Another step of the club’s recovery saw defender Alan Ruschel – who was one of the three players to survive the crash – take to the pitch at the club’s Arena Conda as thousands of fans applauded him.
Ruschel revealed at a press conference last week that he only survived due to a late change of seats during the flight, with the defender being taken to hospital with a back injury that needed surgery. He left hospital shortly before holding a press conference at the Arena Conda, where he said during a tearful appearance that he will return to Colombia to treat the doctors that operated on him to a meal and also visit the families of his teammates who lost their lives in the accident.
“As a lesson, this tragedy teaches that you have to keeping living,” Ruschel said. “Take advantage of some things and do good for others.
“When I got here today I had the sensation that I was coming home. I promise to give lots more happiness to this team. With a lot of effort and hard work I am going to be back playing again soon.”
TOUGH GROUP: Paraguay's Hugo Figueredo picks out Chapecoense during the Copa Libertadores draw. The Brazilian club were drawn alongside Uruguay's Nacional, Lanus of Argentina and Venezuela's Zulia as part of Group 7. Photo: Reuters/Jorge Adorno