Espanyol fans mark Jarque's passing

Espanyol fans paid tribute to Dani Jarque, the club's former captain, at the Cornella stadium yesterday. The central defender died on August 8 last year following a heart attack during his team's pre-season preparations in Coverciano, near Florence, Italy. To mark the first anniversary of his death, Espanyol decided to open gate 21 at the stadium between 11am and 1pm for fans to come and pay tribute. Jarque wore Espanyol's number 21 shirt and fans had gathered at that part of the ground last year to mourn the player's death.

And hundreds of fans paid their respects again this time around, laying out shirts and scarves from Espanyol and a range of other clubs at a shrine to the defender, alongside candles and a series of photographs from Jarque's time at the club. Many of Jarque's former teammates also wrote open letters to him which were posted on the club's official website. In his, forward Ferran Corominas said Jarque would never be forgotten.

"I want you to know that I miss you and that you will always be in my heart," he said. Ivan De la Pena added: "Dani's loss won't last just a year, for us it will mark the rest of our lives." Elsewhere, Arjen Robben has been chosen as the top player of the past season in Germany after leading Bayern Munich to the domestic double and the final of the Champions League last season. The Dutch winger received 445 votes from 925 journalists in the poll conducted by Kicker magazine. Two more Bayern players followed - Bastian Schweinsteiger (180) and Thomas Mueller (118). Robben is out of action for the next two months with a hamstring injury.

Louis van Gaal, Bayern's Dutch coach, was chosen Coach of the Year with 398 votes, ahead of Schalke's Felix Magath (231) and Germany coach Joachim Loew (87). * With agencies