Last Updated: Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:53
Fabrice Muamba's father Marcel and fiancee Shauna say the Bolton midfielder faces a long road to recovery.
Muamba remains in the London Chest Hospital, where he was admitted on Saturday night after suffering a cardiac arrest during his club's FA Cup quarter-final with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
"Even though Fabrice has made great progress over the last couple of days, he is still in intensive care and still has a long period of recovery ahead," read a joint statement from the family. "He has asked that you please keep him in your prayers."
Marcel and Shauna are maintaining their presence alongside Muamba and admit they have been overwhelmed by the response to the 23-year-old's plight.
"We would like to firstly thank God for answering our prayers," continued the statement. "Thank you to everyone for the love, prayers and support over the past few days. In particular we owe an enormous gratitude to the Bolton and Spurs medical teams for their quick reaction on Saturday and the fantastic team here at the London Chest Hospital.
"We have been overwhelmed by all the kind messages we have received. The support we have had from the fans, not just from Bolton but football supporters around the world, has given us so much strength. We have been particularly touched by the support from the football community globally. Thanks also to our family and close friends and thank you to the media for respecting our privacy during this very difficult time."
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