The sporting director and ex-player Francesc Arnau passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to a statement released by Real Oviedo. The news has shocked the world of Spanish football.
Saturday began with the tragic news of the sudden passing of Real Oviedo's sporting director Francesc Arnau Grabalosa, with the club releasing an official statement on the matter.
According to 'La Voz de Asturias', the ex-player passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning aged at just 46-years-old, the sudden and unexpected nature of his passing has meant there has is yet to be further information released.
As a player, the ex-goalkeeper lifted a La Liga title with Barcelona and was voted the best player in the 1998 U21 European Champions. He spent six seasons in the Barca's B side, before spending another four in their first team.
He then went on to play a staggering ten seasons with Malaga, between 2002 and 2011, where he eventually retired at 35-years-of-age. Over the course of his playing career, Arnau made 295 appearances, only five of which came from the bench.
As a sporting director, Arnau joined Real Oviedo in 2019 and had signed a contract until 2022. With a comprehensive career as a player before a significant spell in the ranks of Oviedo, the world of football is mourning his sudden loss. Clubs across La Liga paid their respects on Twitter.