Leeds United and Cardiff City planning joint Sol Bamba tribute after international break

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Plans are underway for a tribute for the former Leeds United man

Leeds United and Cardiff City are planning a tribute to Sol Bamba for their game on Saturday 21st September. The club’s former player died last Saturday at the age of 39.

The pair will now work together to plan a commemoration for the ex-defender at the Cardiff City Stadium. The Bluebirds’ chairman Mehmet Dalman has said: “Discussions are already underway to pay tribute to Sol at the Leeds game. They are willing and happy to go along with us. There are preparations taking place for this.”

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Leeds signed Bamba back in 2015 and he went on to make 56 appearances for the Whites in all competitions, chipping in with five goals from the back. Cardiff snapped him up after his spell at Elland Road and he went on to play 118 matches for the Bluebirds, finding the net on 10 occasions.

He also had spells at PSG, Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian, Leicester City, Trabzonspor, Palermo and Middlesbrough before calling time on his playing days in 2022 after playing 426 games. He also had 46 caps for the Ivory Coast national team.

Bamba was working as a Technical Director for Adanaspor in Turkey before his death and overcame non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021. He was admitted to hospital over the weekend before passing away.

Adanaspor released an official statement reading: "To the attention of the public. Before the match we played with Manisa FK on Friday, August 30, our Technical Director Soulemane Bamba fell ill at the hotel where he was staying and was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hafsa Sultan Hospital.

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"Our Technical Director Soulemane Bamba lost his battle for life on August 31st despite all the interventions of the doctors. We would like to express our gratitude to our doctors, nurses and all hospital staff who immediately started the treatment of our Technical Director Soulemane Bamba from the day he was admitted to the hospital and who did everything they could to ensure his survival.

"In this context, we would like to express our endless gratitude to Manisa Governor Enver Ünlü, Manisa Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek, Manisa Police Chief Fahri Aktaş, Manisa FK President Buket Aktan, former Manisaspor President Emre Hasgör, Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu, Turkish Football Federation Board Member Bayram Akgül, Turkish Football Federation Board Member Mevlüt Aktan, Manisa public institutions and organizations personnel and everyone whose names we could not mention, who provided us with their assistance in the funeral transportation procedures following the passing of our Technical Director.

"The passing of our Technical Director has deeply saddened the Adanaspor family and all football fans. Our condolences once again to the entire football community, especially to Adanaspor."

Leeds face Cardiff after the current international break. They have a home clash against Burnley first on 14th September following their 2-0 win over Hull City. Ex-Leeds boss Neil Warnock worked with Bamba at Cardiff and paid tribute to the defender following the news of his death.

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"Sol just liked to be himself and didn't want any accolades or anything like that, he was just a gentleman,” Warnock told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. "Sol just liked to be himself and didn't want any accolades or anything like that, he was just a gentleman.

"I don’t think any Bluebird fan would not be able to close their eyes and think about that beaming smile, or one of the goals he scored and I think that's the tribute. Yes, you can do one thing or another, but I think the Bluebirds fans will remember him in their own mind and love him as they did.”

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