Football supporters across the world were shocked to hear the news that Fiorentina captain Davide Astori died in his sleep on Sunday morning before the squad were due to play Udinese away from home. The alarm was raised when the 31-year-old failed to turn up for breakfast in the team hotel, with Viola goalkeeper Marco Sportiello reportedly the last person to see him alive when they played computer games together the night before.
All signs point to the fact that the Italian international died in his sleep as a result of a cardiac arrest, however testing for heart problems is commonplace among football authorities in Italy. “The idea we have of the situation is that the player died of cardiac arrest by natural causes,” said Udine prosecutor Antonio De Nicolo.“It is strange that such a thing should happen to a professional who is so closely monitored and showed no warning signs.”
The news broke just before Cagliari were scheduled to play Genoa at 12:30 Italian time, with the players who were about to take to the field – including his Italy team-mate Mattia Perin – visibly shocked and upset by the news. The match was, of course, postponed with the agreement of the presidents of both clubs, closely followed by the cancellation of all today’s other Serie A fixtures, including tonight’s Milan derby.
Cagliari boss Diego Lopez was taken ill following the news, needing treatment from the club’s doctor, the Coach having played alongside Astori in the side – after the central defender joined the Sardinian outfit back in 2008 – before loan spells with Roma, and eventually Fiorentina. Astori also received 14 caps for Italy but was a regular backup member of the squad, having been called up no less than 50 times.
Astori signed permanently for Fiorentina in 2016, and faced the unenviable task of replacing Gonzalo Rodriguez as captain this season after the club made the decision to sell the latter against both his own and the fans’ wishes in the summer. Yet he did so with consummate ease, stepping into the breach with class and dignity.
"To receive the Viola captaincy is a pride for me because the armband has been worn by important players, Astori said in August 2017. “I inherit it from a strong player that we unfortunately lost in Gonzalo Rodriguez, and I hope to be able to honour the captaincy just as him and his predecessors did.”
Tributes poured in from players and Coaches around the world, all united in their disbelief of such a tragic loss. “There is pain that no words can represent,” said former boss Vincenzo Montella. “The sudden death of Davide is a wound that hurts the skin and the heart. His smile and his moral purity are within all of us who had the privilege to walk beside him. Ciao, captain.”
A heartfelt tribute was also written on the Udinese official website after the postponement by the Gianpaolo Pozzo, owner of both Fiorentina’s opponents and Watford FC. “I write this as the owner of Udinese, as a football fan and – above all – as a father,” the statement read. “I am deeply shocked by the news of the death of Davide Astori. My family and everyone at Udinese Calcio send their most heartfelt condolences to Astori’s loved ones, everyone at Fiorentina and all Fiorentina fans.
“This morning, we got up ready to take on our opponents on the football field. We had prepared for a normal game – we would never have imagined that we would have to share this pain with Fiorentina and try to find an explanation for the death of a young man in the prime of his life.
“Today we mourn the loss of Davide Astori. We do not play today out of respect and love. When we return to training and take to the football field once more, we shall do so for him – to keep his memory alive and to honour a sport that must unite us, give us strength and serve as a source of inspiration. Our thanks to the fans for standing with us and to the media for covering this sad news with decency and respect.”
Perhaps the most tragic part of today’s news was that the captain had become a father just two weeks ago, the devastating loss felt most of all by his family but one that will continue to reverberate around the world of football for some time to come.
