Fiorentina’s Edoardo Bove ‘awake and alert’ in hospital after on-field collapse against Inter Milan

FLORENCE – Fiorentina said on Dec 2 that their midfielder Edoardo Bove is “awake and alert” in hospital after collapsing during their Serie A match against Inter Milan the previous day.

In a social media update, the club said that the 22-year-old Italian had a peaceful night and no longer required assistance with his breathing.

“He has spoken with his family, club management, the coach and his teammates, who all rushed to go and see him as soon as they heard the good news,” said the club, adding that further tests will be conducted.

After losing consciousness during the match, Bove was taken to the Careggi University Hospital in Florence, where he was placed in intensive care. Early tests had ruled out serious damage to his nervous system, heart and lungs.

Play was halted at the Artemio Franchi Stadium with the score 0-0 for a video assistant referee check on a disallowed Lautaro Martinez goal, when Bove suddenly collapsed in the 17th minute after bending down to adjust his boot.

Medical personnel rushed onto the pitch, with the Fiorentina players forming a ring around Bove, who arrived at the club on loan from Roma in August.

After Bove was taken away in an ambulance, the referee asked the visibly shaken players to return to the dressing room.

A Serie A spokesperson said later that the match was suspended and would be postponed to a later date.

Bove has made several appearances for Italy’s Under-21 team and has four assists and one goal in his 14 appearances for Fiorentina in all competitions this season.

Inter chairman Giuseppe Marotta said that postponing the match was an easy decision.

“Football is a community, so naturally when these situations happen, all the players and the referee worked together to help and it was a spontaneous decision to abandon the game,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

Serie A clubs such as Juventus, Napoli and Roma expressed support for Bove on social media.

“We all are with you Edoardo!” Juventus posted on X, where league leaders Napoli said: “Come on Edoardo, we are with you!” Bove’s parent club Roma posted: “One of us, we are all with you. Go Edo!”

Fiorentina suffered tragedy in 2018 when their 31-year-old captain Davide Astori died suddenly at the team hotel in Udine, just ahead of a match against Udinese.

Roma defender Evan Ndicka collapsed on the field during their Serie A match at Udinese in April, before the Ivory Coast player was cleared to resume playing days later after a series of tests. REUTERS, AFP