Fiorentina captain Davide Astori has died in his sleep ahead of their Serie A fixture against Udinese on Sunday.
Astori, a 31-year-old Italy international central defender, had been with the club since 2016 having previously played for Milan, Cagliari and Roma.
He had 14 international caps with Italy and was a member of the squad that played in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
All of Sunday’s Serie A fixtures have been postponed as a mark of respect.
According to Udine Today, the player failed to wake up at the La di Moret hotel in the city on Sunday morning. Some reports suggested he suffered a heart attack.
Another report from Italy said his team-mates broke down his door when Astori failed to come down for breakfast or answer his phone.
Astori became a father less than two weeks ago.
A statement issued by Fiorentina read: ‘Fiorentina are profoundly shaken and forced to announce that their captain Davide Astori has died.
‘For this terrible and delicate situation, and above all out of respect for his family, we appeal to the sensitivity of the media.’
The early kick-off between Genoa and Cagliari was postponed with the crowd breaking into spontaneous applause when a picture of Astori was shown on the big screen. He spent six seasons as a Cagliari player.
The players were going through their warm-ups when the news broke, leaving some in tears. Fans remained inside the stadium and sat in silence as they digested the shock news.
Clubs and players from around the world tweeted their condolences to Fiorentina after the news broke.
Astori, who hailed from the province of Bergamo, started playing with local team Pontisola before joining Milan’s academy in 2001.
He spent five years in their youth system, including loan spells at Serie C1 clubs Pizzighettone and Cremonsese in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
Astori didn’t turn out for the senior Milan side and signed for Cagliari in a co-ownership deal with Milan in 2008, playing regularly for them in Serie A.
In all, Astori made 178 appearances for Cagliari during six seasons before moving out on loan to Roma at the start of the 2014-15 season.
When he returned to Cagliari, Fiorentina also took him on loan before completing a permanent transfer in 2016.
Astori was expected to sign a new contract with the club when he died.
He made 14 appearances in all for Italy having been handed his debut by coach Cesare Prandelli against Ukraine in March 2011, though he was sent off during that friendly match.
Source: Goal