Sports
15:46, 09-Mar-2018
Thousands gather in Florence to say final goodbye to Davide Astori
["china"]
Share
Copied
Thousands of Fiorentina fans bid a tearful adieu to their former captain Davide Astori.
The funeral of Astori was held in Florence on Thursday, with a number of his former teammates, including Federico Bernardeschi and Francesco Totti, also paying their last respects to the deceased Italian.
The 31-year-old was found dead in his hotel room on Sunday, hours before his club was scheduled to play an away game against Udinese.
Astori’s Funeral took place at the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. /VCG Photo
Astori’s Funeral took place at the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. /VCG Photo
An autopsy indicated heart problems as the possible reason for the Italian’s untimely death while Udine's public prosecutor has attributed the player's death to natural causes.
Soon after the tragic news emerged, all of last Sunday's Serie A matches were postponed. A minute's silence was held before all Champions League games earlier this week.
Fiorentina teammates paid their last respect at Davide Astori’s Funeral in Florence. /VCG Photo
Fiorentina teammates paid their last respect at Davide Astori’s Funeral in Florence. /VCG Photo
Meanwhile, two of Astori's former clubs, Fiorentina and Cagliari, have retired his No.13 shirt as a mark of respect. Fiorentina's senior side, youth squad and women's team were present at the service.
The funeral at the Basilica di Santa Croce was also attended by his family, friends, players and several official representatives of Italian football, with large number of local people and fans outside. Astori is survived by his partner, Francesca Fioretti, and their two-year-old daughter.