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Emiliano Sala: Fans detained for mocking striker’s death with plane gestures

Two Southampton fans have been detained by the police after they mocked Emiliano Sala’s death with plane gestures during a Premier League game.

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Cardiff City managed a 1-2 victory over Southampton with match winner from the skipper for the Welsh side Sol Bamba in the late minutes of the game at the Saint Mary’s on Saturday.

Footage posted on social media after the game appeared to show the men making airplane gestures, in Cardiff's first match played since Sala's body was found.

Emiliano Sala signed a 15-million-pound club record deal to join Cardiff City from Nantes in January.

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However, a plane he was on board with pilot David Ibbotson disappeared on the English Channel and investigators after days of search found the wreckage of the plane.

A body recovered in the wreckage has been confirmed as Sala and the pilot is also presumed dead.

Southampton confirmed that two men were spoken to by police in a statement, promising to ban the supporters involved.

"The club will continue to work with Hampshire Police to identify any individuals deemed to have made indecent gestures towards Cardiff supporters," the club added, according to Agence France-Presse.

"Such behaviour has no place in our game and will not be tolerated at St Mary's. The club will be taking an extremely firm stance against anyone involved and intends to ban those supporters identified."

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Sala's body was found after a private search commissioned by his family, financed by a crowdfunding campaign which attracted support from several leading soccer players.

Before the game, a minute's silence was observed by players and fans of both teams at Southampton's St Mary's stadium. Cardiff ultimately won the game 2-1.

But the incident nonetheless puts the ugly behavior of pockets of English soccer supporters back in the spotlight, during a season that has at times been marred by offensive chants and violence from fans.

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