Wolfsburg midfielder Junior Malanda killed in car accident

According to reports in Germany, the Belgium Under-21 international died after the car he was a passenger in crashed on a motorway near Porta Westfalica in north-west Germany on Saturday afternoon.

Bild newspaper said the two other people in the vehicle had been taken to hospital with serious injuries after the car left the road and crashed into a tree amid heavy rain and wind.

A statement on www.belgianfootball.be read: "The football world today lost a great talent. Junior Malanda lost his life this afternoon, at the age of 20.

"The Belgian Football Association extends its sympathy to family and friends."

Malanda, who joined the Bundesliga club from Belgian side Zulte Waregem in 2013, had reportedly been due to fly to South Africa on Saturday night for Wolfsburg's winter training camp.

Wolfsburg have yet to confirm the news on their website but forward Kevin De Bruyne - a club-mate and countryman of Malanda - wrote on Instagram: " So strange to hear your friend in the morning and then hear this news. Lost a great friend way to (sic) early. Rest in peace my friend. You will always be around."

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also paid his respects on Twitter, saying: "RIP @JuniorMalanda!! We lose a huge talent and a great person!!"

Eurosport Germany's Tobias Laure: "The Belgian pro Junior Malanda from VfL Wolfsburg was killed in a car accident on Saturday. This was reported by Bild newspaper on its website. Thus, the 20-year-old was fatally injured on the A2 near Porta Westfalica. According to Bild the police specified increased speed as the cause of the accident in heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 100 km/h. Malanda, who wanted to fly with the Wolfsburg team on Saturday night to training camp in South Africa, is said to have been sitting in the back seat of the vehicle and have been thrown out of the interior. Reportedly the midfielder should have been dead immediately. The driver and another passenger in the car supposedly suffered serious injuries.”