The midfielder passed away this evening when his heart stopped following a training session in Coverciano, Italy where the squad are on a pre-season camp.

Club doctors and Italian paramedics tried to revive Jarque, a product of the Espanyol youth system, but without success.

A statement on the club website, www.rcdespanyol.cat, read: "Tragedy struck Espanyol and the family of Dani Jarque this evening. The blanquiazul player died from a cardiac arrest.

"The doctor Cervera carried out CPR on the player and used a defibrillator, which showed that the arrest was non responsive.

"After a few minutes the first ambulance arrived from the Florence emergency services, who tried again with the defibrillator they carried.

"The medical services continued carrying out CPR, administering adrenaline and atropine for an hour, but the player's heart did not react, so finally that determined his death.

"RCD Espanyol, broken with pain, wish to put themselves at the absolute disposition of the family of our captain Dani Jarque, to whom go our warmest thoughts."

Jarque joined Espanyol at the age of 12, making his debut in 2002, and was handed the captaincy this summer.

His death comes two years after that of Sevilla and Spain defender Antonio Puerta, who suffered multiple organ failure in hospital, three days after a cardiac arrest during a league match against Getafe.

It was Sevilla who led the tributes from other Primera Division clubs tonight.

"Sevilla FC and president Jose Maria del Nido share the pain of the family of deceased RCD Espanyol player Daniel Jarque, the team captain, who suffered a heart attack while talking on the phone in his room while with the team on their tour of Italy," said a statement on their website.

Espanyol's city rivals Barcelona also offered their condolences on their website with a message from president Joan Laporta.

He told www.fcbarcelona.cat: "We are filled with extreme dismay at this tragic event which we deeply regret.

"Today we are all in mourning.

"I want to send, on behalf of FC Barcelona, our deepest sympathies to RCD Espanyol for the painful loss of their captain Dani Jarque, and to his family."

A statement from Real Madrid added: "Real Madrid wishes to express its sincere condolences to the player's family, RCD Espanyol and the team's fans for the death of team captain, Dani Jarque."

Espanyol, who had been due to play Bologna in a friendly tomorrow, have suspended their pre-season tour of Italy and will now fly back to Barcelona.