The 79-year-old honorary club president of the nine-times European champions had emergency quadruple heart by-pass surgery following the heart attack but has since responded well to treatment in hospital in Valencia.

"Alfredo Di Stefano continues to be in a stable condition and his kidney functions have improved markedly," a hospital statement issued on behalf of doctors Anastasio Montero, Jose Luis Vicente and Joaquin Panadero said.

The statement added that Di Stefano could be transferred from the resuscitation unit to the general ward "in a few days," without specifying when he might leave hospital.

There had been concerns about the former player's kidney owing to his being diabetic.