Edoardo Bove, the Fiorentina midfielder, is now conscious and alert after collapsing suddenly during Sunday’s match against Inter Milan, which led to the game being called off. The 20-year-old player was immediately rushed to the Careggi hospital in Florence, where he was placed in intensive care.
In an official statement on Monday, Fiorentina confirmed that Bove had been “awakened and extubated” and was now “awake, alert, and oriented.” The club added that Bove had been able to speak with his family, team members, coach, and management, all of whom were quick to visit him after hearing the positive news.
Fiorentina also stated that further tests would be conducted in the coming days to understand what caused the sudden medical emergency during the match. Bove collapsed 16 minutes into the Serie A game, which had been goalless when the match was halted due to the critical situation. Initial tests conducted on Sunday evening ruled out any significant damage to his central nervous and cardio-respiratory systems.
Fiorentina’s General Manager, Alessandro Ferrari, spoke to reporters outside the hospital, mentioning that Bove had encouraged his teammates to play in their Italian Cup tie with Empoli on Wednesday, expressing his desire for them to resume normal life and competition. The team, rallying behind his spirit, plans to go ahead with the game.
However, Ferrari also acknowledged that it was “too early” to determine the future of Bove’s football career, given the stringent medical standards required in professional sports in Italy.
Bove’s collapse has stirred concerns, bringing to mind the tragic death of Davide Astori, Fiorentina’s former captain, who passed away suddenly in March 2018 at the age of 31. The shocking event led to an outpouring of emotion from both fans and players at the stadium, who were left anxiously awaiting updates on Bove’s condition.
The match against Inter Milan, which was suspended, is expected to be rescheduled. Serie A confirmed that a meeting will take place on Monday afternoon to determine when the match will be completed, with reports suggesting it could be rescheduled for February.
The incident also brought back memories of Christian Eriksen, who collapsed during Denmark’s 2021 European Championship match due to a cardiac arrest. Following Eriksen’s recovery, he was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and later returned to playing professionally in England with Brentford, and currently with Manchester United.
Fiorentina, along with fans and the football community, remains hopeful for Bove’s full recovery, but medical evaluations in the coming days will be critical in understanding the extent of the issue.
