Madrid, Feb 8 (efe-epa).- European soccer teams paid tribute to Argentine soccer player Emiliano Sala on Friday, hours after police in the United Kingdom confirmed his death.

Sala had been declared missing on Jan. 21 after a small plane he was on crashed while flying over the English Channel on its way from Ligue 1 team Nantes to Premier League side Cardiff City, but it was not until Thursday that Sala's death was confirmed.

Following the most recent development, Cardiff City - who paid a club record of 15 million sterling pounds ($19.45m) to sign Sala - called on the Premier League to allow them put a yellow daffodil on their shirts during the side's upcoming league game against host Southampton; a yellow daffodil is a traditional symbol in Wales and often represents new birth.

Cardiff is the capital of Wales, one of the countries of the United Kingdom, like England, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

"We will wear black armbands and have a minute's silence. I am sure the Southampton fans will want that as well," Cardiff City's coach Neil Warnock said during a press conference on the eve of Southampton's game.

The French league has already announced a minute of applause to be observed at the beginning of each of the country's first and second tier matches over the weekend to honor Sala's memory.

In the Spanish capital, Real Madrid said in an official statement on its website that the club was "saddened by the death of footballer Emiliano Sala".

Madrid's Argentine head coach Santiago Solari offered his condolences to Sala's family, during a press conference ahead of Madrid's highly anticipated La Liga match against Atletico Madrid.

"The club wishes to express its condolences to his family and friends and shares the pain of football fans around the world, particularly in Argentina, at this difficult time," the club statement ran.

Inter Milan's Italian coach Luciano Spalletti showed sympathy with the family of the Argentine player.

"We remain close to the families of both Manuel Bortuzzo and Emiliano Sala because in moments like this there are things that shouldn't happen that make you feel helpless. We want to send a big hug to both families," Spalletti said at a press conference before a Serie A game against Parma.

Bortuzzo is a promising 20-year-old Italian swimmer who was mistakenly shot in front of a Rome bar when he was taken for another person.

The shooting paralyzed Bortuzzo from the waist down and, like Sala's death, has caused an outpouring of public grief and attention.