Real Madrid legend Alfredo di Stefano has been admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack.
Real board members have travelled to Sagunto near Valencia to visit the 79-year-old honorary club president, who is in the intensive care unit.

Di Stefano, who helped Real win five European Cups and eight league titles, was twice European player of the year.

He was born in Argentina and played for his homeland, Colombia and Spain - but never featured in the World Cup finals.

"Alfredo Di Stefano was admitted to the hospital at 1245 GMT complaining of pains in his chest and tests have revealed that he had suffered an acute heart attack," doctor Victoria de la Cueva said.

"He is in the intensive care unit at the moment. His condition has improved and he is conscious. He is aware of what is going on, is stable and breathing well on his own."

Medics said the next 48 hours would be very important for Di Stefano but added that he was conscious and lucid.

Di Stefano began his career with Argentine giants River Plate in 1945. He then moved to Colombia's Millionarios in 1949, where he won four league titles and scored 267 goals in 292 games.

He joined Real Madrid, after a tug-of-war with rivals Barcelona, in 1953 and was instrumental in their amazing five consecutive European Cup titles from 1956.

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Di Stefano scored goals in every final, including a hat-trick in their famous 7-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden Park in 1960.

He held the record as top scorer in the European Cup, with 49 goals in 58 games, until Real Madrid striker Raul beat his mark this season.

He was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1957 and 1959.

Coaching success

He left Real for Espanyol after falling out with club president Santiago Bernabeu in 1964 and retired three years later, playing his final match against Celtic in Madrid.

He then went into coaching, leading Boca Juniors and River Plate to Argentine championships and steering Valencia to a Spanish league title in 1971 as well as victory over Arsenal in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1980.

He returned to Real Madrid to take over as coach between 1982 and 1984, with the side finishing runners-up in the title race in consecutive seasons.

Di Stefano was made honorary president of Real in 2000 when Florentino Perez came to power.

from bbc.co.uk