FC Barcelona mourns the sudden death of their first team doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia

Spanish football was shocked on Saturday when the news broke that FC Barcelona's first team doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia died unexpedtedly hours before a Liga match in Barcelona, which was postponed. The doctor was a well-loved member of the staff, and his death shocked and devastated their players.

Miñarro died in the hotel room where the team was gathered before the Liga match against Osasuna. Apparently, all the players and staff were already on the bus, waiting to go to the Montjuic stadium, when they realised the doctor was missing. A member of the staff went to the room to check on him and found him dead, as sources said Sport. The players travelled to the stadium, and that's when club president Joan Laporta himself told them the news.

A statement confirming his death and the postponement of the match was announced at 20:42 locally, just 18 minutes before kick-off time. It was the players themselves who asked for the match to be postponed, and both Osasuna and LaLiga accepted, considered a situation of force majeure.

Club president Joan Laporta said that he was loved by all on the club. "He travelled to every match to take care of the players, the coaching staff, everyone. He never said no to anyone. He was a great professional and a great doctor."

Laporta thanked Osasuna for their understanding, as well as the referees of the match, LaLiga for their quick response, and also fans already at the stadium for their understanding. Players from Barcelona, as well as other football clubs in Spain, sent their condolences to Carles' family.