Tributes paid after Spanish footballer, 27, dies from a heart attack: "Javi was a very close friend"

According to reports, the footballer collapsed after getting out of his car. Despite the best efforts of emergency services to resuscitate him, he died at the scene.

Javier Guitian, a midfielder for Spanish side San Jorge de Llanes, passed away after a friendly game last Saturday (August 17) vs fellow National Youth League side Urraca. Newspaper El Comercio reported that the 27-year-old started feeling unwell behind the wheel, then suffered a heart attack when he got out of his vehicle.

The incident took place near the La Xagarda restaurant in Asturias, Spain, with emergency services spending an hour trying to resuscitate the footballer.

Paying tribute the the player, a club statement said: “We cannot find an explanation for what happened yesterday afternoon, there are no words to describe the void you leave in our club, a very hard blow that we have to face. At Ereba you will always be present, 22.

“From the club, we send all the strength in the world to the family and friends in these difficult times.”

Opposing side Urraca also issued a statement, which said: “We join in the pain after the terrible loss of Javi Guitian, with whom he played a friendly match yesterday against our Liga Nacional. In addition to a great person and athlete, Javi was a very close friend of the bulk of our team.

“The first team is a great source of joy for us, which is why we feel it even more. We want to send our condolences to his family and friends in this irreparable loss, rest in peace Javi.”

Guitian had spent his entire career in Asturias’ non-league system, having played for the likes of Ribadedeva and Club Deportivo Llanes.