Fiorentina captain Davide Astori dies aged 31

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Fellow players and fans have been paying tribute to Davide Astori, the captain of Italian football side Fiorentina, who died suddenly on Sunday at the age of 31.

The central defender, who played 14 times for Italy's national side, was discovered by teammates after he failed to show up for breakfast at the club's hotel in Udine.

Fiorentina's game at Udinese was postponed, along with all matches in the country's top two divisions.

Astori's body was taken to a hospital for an autopsy. Team officials said the center-back, who had played for the club since 2015, was "hit by a sudden illness." He has left behind his wife and two-year-old daughter.

Former teammates, coaches and teams were among those taking to social media to express their grief. Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus captain, called Astori ”a great man.”

“Farewell dear Asto,” wrote Buffon in a post on Instagram accompanied by a photo of two players exchanging pennants before a game between their clubs.

A boy giving the captain's armband ‍to Davide Astori before an Italian Seria A football match Fiorentina vs Chievo, in Florence. /VCG Photo

Former Italy manager Antonio Conte, now in charge of English side Chelsea, was visibly upset as he paid tribute to Astori ahead of the Blues’ match with Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

Astori made his Italy debut in 2011 and played at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, where he scored against Uruguay.

Fiorentina’s game was called off in the morning. The early kick-off between Genoa and Cagliari, one of the Astori’s former clubs, was abandoned when players learned the news while warming up on the pitch. The Italian league then postponed the other five Serie A matches scheduled for Sunday, including the Milan derby.

Astori began his career at AC Milan, also playing for Cagliari and Roma before joining Fiorentina in 2015. He played 14 times for Italy.