PEDRO BERRUEZO, ALWAYS WITH US

This Monday marks 46 years since the heartbreaking loss of Pedro Berruezo, who collapsed playing at the Estadio de Pasarón on 7 January 1973, when Sevilla FC were playing against Pontevedra.

Almost half a century after his tragic passing away, his presence is still felt in Nervión. On 7 January 2010 his figure was immortalised in bronze, while since this season his face appears on Gate 10 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. Furthermore, this season's first-team squad photo was taken at Gate 10 to remember Berruezo, a ceremony to which his widow, children, grandchildren, and former teammates were invited.

A month earlier, against Baracaldo, he had also collapsed, but this time in Pasarón he could not be resuscitated. He arrived at Sevilla still kitted out, with the number 10 on his back

Berruezo passed away playing football, just like what would happen 34 years later with Antonio Puerta. It all happened in the fifth minute of the game, right beside the bench and Juan Arza. Pedro collapsed. His teammates went to aid him, hoping that it would just be a scare like what had happened a month earlier against Baracaldo in Nervión. However, this was not the case and the team's representative, Alonso de Caso, asked the home side's doctor, Doctor Díaz Lema, to attend to Berruezo as Leal Graciani had stayed in Sevilla to attend a ceremony paying tribute to his father, Doctor Leal Castaño. The player was brought to the infirmary and after a first attempt to reanimate him, the Doctor Díaz Lema sent Berruezo urgently to the nearby Clínica Domínguez, where he arrived still with life, but little could have been done to avoid the tragedy.

His figure was immortalised in bronze in 2010 and since this season his face appears of Gate 10 at the stadium

The following days were full of complete dismay. Berruezo, wearing Sevilla FC's kit and the number 10 he defended until the very end, was transferred to Sevilla, arriving straight to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on 8 January. The wake took place at the stadium and thousands of Sevillistas came to pay their respects. The following day, Berruezo's body was sent to Málaga where he was buried. A month after his passing away, players from Sevilla and Betis played a tribute match against the Romanian national team, giving the proceeds to the player's widow.

46 years have passed since his death, but Pedro Berruezo is more alive than ever in the memory of the Sevillistas. 135 matches and 38 goals, but most importantly a man who defended Sevilla FC's crest until the very end.