Italian football clash between Fiorentina, Inter Milan suspended as player collapses on-field

Edoardo Bove of Fiorentina was taken to hospital by medical teams after collapsing on the pitch. Photo / Getty Images

Fiorentina’s match with Inter Milan was suspended on Sunday after midfielder Edoardo Bove suddenly collapsed to the ground, Serie A confirmed to AFP.

Bove was rushed to Florence’s Careggi hospital in an ambulance as players and fans looked on in horror following his sudden fall with 16 minutes on the clock.

Serie A told AFP that the match, which was goalless, will be rescheduled for “an as-yet undetermined date”. Fiorentina later said that Bove, 22, was under sedation in the Careggi hospital’s intensive care unit, where he arrived in a “stable” condition.

“Initial cardiological and neurological tests have ruled out severe damage to his central nervous and the cardio-respiratory systems,” said Fiorentina in a joint statement with the hospital.

“Edoardo Bove will be re-evaluated in the next 24 hours.”

Fiorentina added that the 22-year-old’s condition will be re-assessed “in the next 24 hours” while family and teammates, who had rushed to his aid as he was stretchered from the Stadio Artemio Franchi field, went to be by his side.

The players and officials openly sobbed after seeing Bove fall, reminding fans of former captain Davide Astori’s sudden death in 2018.

Fiorentina suffered tragedy when defender Astori died in his sleep aged 31 in a hotel before a league match at Udinese.

Goalkeeper David de Gea said “God please” on social media where a number of clubs, including Roma from where he was loaned to Fiorentina in August, showed support.

In April, Roma’s match at Udinese was suspended and rescheduled when defender Evan Ndicka collapsed with what was initially feared to be a heart attack.

Roma, who eventually won the fixture 2-1, later said that the then 24-year-old Ivory Coast international had suffered a collapsed lung, with no cardiac issues detected.

Fiorentina started Sunday’s clash level on 28 points with Inter, four points behind league leaders Napoli who won 1-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday.