Czech player Josef Sural dies in auto crash in Turkey

Czech Republic footballer Josef Sural has died after a bus crash while returning from a match in Kayeseri

Sural was in the minibus along with a number of other Alanyaspor players when the accident occurred. The striker for Turkish top flight club died at the hospital where he and six of his teammates were taken after the crash.

The club’s chairman has since claimed that the accident was a result of the driver falling asleep at the wheel, with police investigating the fatal crash.

Defender Steven Caulker who played for Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers and Liverpool was also involved in the crash, as was ex-Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse. Both reportedly suffered minor injuries.

28-Year-old Josef Sural played for all the underage national teams for Czech Republic starting with U16-U19, He made 20 appearances for the senior national team.  This is the second Czech footballer after František Rajtoral, who played for Gaziantepspor, to die while living in Turkey

In June 2011, Šural together with his Zbrojovka Brno teammate Michael Rabušic signed a three-year contract with Gambrinus liga side Slovan Liberec. On 13 January 2016 he transferred to AC Sparta Praha, before moving to Turkish side Alanyaspor in January 2019.