Football Classic: Madrid & Barca paying respect to the players of Chapecoense

Real Madrid and Barcelona players paid respect to the players of Brazilian club Chapecoense who perished in a plane crash on 28th November, 2016.

The Chapecoense squad - Brazil's equivalent of Leicester - were due to play in South American football's version of the Europa League final. However,  71 of the 77 people on a chartered British Aerospace 146 aircraft died when it crashed in the remote mountains of Colombia en route to a major cup final.

Miraculously, three players survived the tragedy: defenders Alan Ruschel and Helio Zemper plus reserve goalkeeper Jackson Follman.

Goalkeeper Marcos Danilo Padilha, 31, whose last-minute save in the semi-final ensured their place in the final, died on the way to hospital.

The club’s coach, Caio Junior, was one of the victims but his son, Matheus Saroli, escaped after being refused permission to board the plane because he forgot his passport.

Chapecoense - likened to the Foxes because they were enjoying a fairytale season after a meteoric rise up the divisions - were due to take part in the first leg of the Sudamericana final for the first time in the club’s history.