The football club lost almost all its senior players when the jet carrying them to the Copa Sudamericana hit a mountain in Colombia.
But the Brazilian side has fresh hope for the future as they presented 27 new players signed to replace those tragically killed.
Almost all of the team's senior players were lost on doomed LaMia flight 2933, which came down on November 28.
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| Survivor centre back Helio Neto chats to youth players |
Click to watch Video as Neto in clutches advises new team mates
The southern Brazilian club were en route to Medellin to face Atletico Nacional in the final of the Copa Sudamericana when the jet hit a mountain, killing 71 people.
Centre back Helio Neto and fullback Alan Ruschel survived, as did reserve goalkeeper Jackson Follmann, who had part of his leg amputated.
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| 71 people were killed in the plane crash |
The southern Brazilian club were en route to Medellin to face Atletico Nacional in the final of the Copa Sudamericana when the jet hit a mountain, killing 71 people.
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| Neto is on the road to recovery after the horror crash in November |
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| The brave centre back is applauded by his new teammates |
The club has signed 27 new players for the new season while reserving shirt numbers for two of the survivors in the hope they can play again.
Neto is also one of the three players who survived that the club expect back on the pitch.
Director of football Rui Costa said all three survivors still had a role to play at the club.
Neto attended the presentation on crutches, where he chatted to the youth players who have been called up to the first time in the wake of the tragedy.
The players will start their season on January 26 with a home game against Joinville.
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| Neto was one of five survivors |
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| Neto offers advice to his new teammates |
Chapecoense coach, Vagner Mancini, said: "There is very little time for preparation, very little time to build a team. So that's why we tried and got some of the athletes."
Chapecoense's rivals rallied to their aid after the crash, promising to loan them players in order to help them retain their top-tier status.
"A lot of people (players) are still coming.
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| Reserve goalkeeper Jackson Follmann had part of his right leg amputated but expected back at the club in some capacity |
We don't have the group settled and we might not get it settled this year," Costa added.
The squad will begin pre-season training on Friday, with some junior players joining the new signings and the handful of players who did not travel on the fateful flight to Colombia.
The club, who were awarded the Copa Sudamericana and a place in this year's Copa Libertadores, have rejected proposals that would give them immunity from relegation from Brazil's Serie A for three years.
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| Chapecoense defender Alan Ruschel takes first steps |
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| A memorial for the Chapecoense players who died in November |
Culled from mirror.co.uk
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