CLAUDIO RANIERI mourned the death of countryman Davide Astori during yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Marseille.
Nantes’ Italian boss wore a black armband for the clash to pay his respects to the late Fiorentina captain who died at just 31.
Ranieri, 66, also consoled Marseille boss Rudi Garcia before kick off.
Garcia, 54, coached Astori for two years while in charge of Roma.
The world of football was stunned yesterday by the shock news of Astori’s tragic death.
Dad-of-one Astori died suddenly in his sleep just hours before he was due to lead Fiorentina out at Serie A rivals Udinese.
DAVIDE ASTORI – WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:
- Astori travelled with Fiorentina squad on Saturday ahead of Serie A clash with Udinese
- When club captain did not arrive at team breakfast at 9.30am, team-mates broke down hotel room door to find Astori dead
- Reports in Italy claim Astori died of natural causes in his sleep – with no warning signs
- He leaves behind long-term girlfriend Francesca Fioretti and their two-year-old daughter Vittoria
- Pictures show Genoa players distraught as they are told news ahead of Serie A’s 12.30 kick-off
- Serie A announce all league fixtures on Sunday are postponed
- Italian football legends Francesco Totti and Gianluigi Buffon lead emotional tributes
A massage therapist found him in his hotel room after he did not turn up for breakfast or answer his phone.
It is believed Astori died of “cardio-circulatory arrest due to natural causes” – a type of heart attack – but that he showed “no warning signs” of having any illness, said Udine prosecutor Antonio De Nicolo.
DAVIDE’S STORI Who was Davide Astori and how did he die?
Club spokesman Arturo Mastronardi said: “The lad did not turn up to the team breakfast at 9.30am and he was usually the first to arrive.
“So they went to check on him. Davide was sleeping in a room on his own. The body has been taken for an autopsy, which I think will be conducted today.”
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A club statement read: “A profoundly shocked Fiorentina are compelled to announce that their captain Davide Astori, who was struck by an unexpected sudden illness, has passed away.
“For this terrible and delicate situation, and above all out of respect for his family, we appeal to the sensitivity of the media.”
Who was Davide Astori?
Davide Astori was born in Bergamo and played for local team Pontisola before joining AC Milan in 2006.
Two years later he moved to Cagliari – the club where he would make his name.
The centre-back would go on to make 174 appearances in Sardinia, and earn his first Italy cap against Ukraine in 2011.
A year later, out of loyalty to Cagliari, he turned down a bumper £12m move to Spartak Moscow.
Around the same time, he was scouted as a long-term replacement for Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic by then-Manchester United boss David Moyes.
In 2014, Astori agreed a season-long loan to Roma for £1.8m and the Giallorossi paid a further £4.5m to make the deal permanent.
But a day before the transfer was set to go through, he instead agreed a new contract with Cagliari.
A loan to current club Fiorentina was then agreed with an obligation to buy.
Astori went on to make 78 appearances for the club before his untimely death in March, 2018.
All of yesterday’s Serie A matches were postponed as a mark of respect.
Heartbreaking pictures show the moment Genoa players found out about his death before their early kick off against Cagliari, which was called off moments later.
The centre-back had 14 caps for Italy after making his debut in 2011 and had enjoyed a professional career spanning 12 years, which also took in the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Astori joined Fiorentina in 2016.
He leaves behind long-term girlfriend Francesca Fioretti and their two-year-old daughter Vittoria.
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