French side Nantes paid a special tribute to missing footballer Emiliano Sala, stopping play in the ninth minute of their Ligue 1 match against Saint-Etienne to applaud their former striker. The Argentine left Nantes to join Cardiff City in a club-record £15million deal but has been missing since January 21 after a plane taking him to the Welsh capital disappeared. Nantes have not played since, postponing their subsequent matches, and they were keen to pay a fitting tribute to Sala as they returned to the pitch on Wednesday night.