Michel Pineda, former Espanyol, Auxerre and Toulon player, dies aged 62

Franco-Spanish striker Michel Pineda, who spent six seasons at Espanyol and reached the 1988 UEFA Cup final, has died aged 62 from a heart attack.

Michel Pineda, a Franco-Spanish striker who made his mark in European football during the 1980s, has died aged 62 following a heart attack. Espanyol Barcelona announced the news on Thursday.

Pineda spent six seasons with Espanyol between 1984 and 1990, his most productive period. In 233 appearances for the Catalan club, he scored 73 goals and was a key figure in their 1987–88 European run, which culminated in reaching the UEFA Cup final. He was also crowned European champion with Spain's Under-21 side in 1986.

Born in Gien in the Loiret region of France to parents from Spain's Basque Country, Pineda began his professional career at AJ Auxerre (1982–1984) before joining Espanyol. After leaving Barcelona, he returned to France to play for Toulon (1990–1993), where he scored 19 goals in 103 matches. He later finished his career in Spain with spells at Santander, Lleida and Deportivo Alavés.