Before Edoardo Bove collapsed, it appeared that a disallowed goal was the focal point of everyone's attention. Fiorentina and Inter were awaiting a VAR review to determine if the ball had indeed gone out before Denzel Dumfries assisted Lautaro Martínez to score in the 17th minute of their crucial match for a top-four spot. Players and coaches expressed their dissent in the customary dramatic fashion. However, all of that suddenly became irrelevant.

Bove, who had not been part of the dispute, was standing far away on the pitch. He briefly knelt down, presumably to tie his shoelace, but actually used his hands to steady himself on the ground. After standing up, he took a few steps and then collapsed beside Hakan Calhanoglu. The football match was instantly relegated to secondary importance. Dumfries, the first to notice the situation, urgently called for help from the sidelines. The urgency of the situation was quickly recognized, and players and staff rushed in various directions: towards Bove, towards the ambulance, towards officials, and towards each other. Simone Inzaghi, Inter's manager, sprinted to assist, nearly losing his balance in the process.

Opponents who had been arguing just moments before now stood together, their arms around each other's shoulders, shielding Bove from view. The only shouting heard at the Stadio Artemio Franchi came from a group of players who were frustrated that the ambulance had not yet entered the pitch. The medical team was following protocol, keeping the vehicle stationary while the crew rushed to attend to the player. Bove was quickly placed on a stretcher and taken to the ambulance. Reports indicate that he had suffered a cardiac arrest, and a defibrillator was used to restart his heart.

Subsequent updates have been more positive. Bove was transported to the Careggi University Hospital, where a statement released by Fiorentina on Sunday evening confirmed that he had been treated on the pitch for a loss of consciousness and was currently sedated and in intensive care. Initial tests have ruled out acute damage to the central nervous system and the cardio-respiratory system, and he will be re-evaluated within the next 24 hours.

On Monday morning, journalist Matteo Dovellini reported that Bove had been extubated and was lucid and responding to questions, with no cerebral or cardiac damage. Fiorentina later confirmed that Bove was awake, alert, and oriented, with ongoing diagnostic tests.

The match was suspended by referee Daniele Doveri as the ambulance departed. It was decided shortly afterward that the match would not resume on Sunday evening. Both teams' players were visibly distressed, and supporters remained in the stands, their primary concern being Bove's well-being.

The cardiac arrest suffered by Christian Eriksen during the 2021 European Championship has heightened awareness of such incidents, though Italian football has seen others. In 2012, Piermario Morosini died of the same cause while playing for Livorno against Pescara in Serie B. Six years later, Fiorentina's captain, Davide Astori, passed away after a cardiac arrest in his hotel room before a game at Udinese. The club honored his memory by reading his name out after the starting XI on Sunday, and fans continued their tradition of applauding for him in the 13th minute.

Fiorentina has experienced too much tragedy in recent years. In March, their chief executive Joe Barone also died following a cardiac arrest at the team's hotel before a game at Atalanta. Fans from the Stadio Artemio Franchi's Curva Fiesole left a banner outside Bove's hospital on Sunday night with the message “Florence is with you!” Relief at his ongoing recovery will be felt across the city and beyond, though it is too early to predict his eventual return to the pitch.

At just 22, Bove was poised for a breakout season. A lifelong Roma fan and academy graduate, he made 45 appearances for the Giallorossi last season but was deemed expendable this summer as the club invested nearly €100m in rebuilding the first-team squad. Bove moved to Fiorentina on deadline day, with a year-long loan agreement that includes an obligation to make the deal permanent if certain performance criteria are met. He described his decision to join the Viola as “a choice made by the heart,” feeling the warmth and project proposed by the directors.

Bove quickly became a key player in the starting lineup, contributing significantly to a team that has exceeded expectations under new manager Raffaele Palladino. Although yet to break into the senior Italy squad, his strong performances for the Under-21s suggested that his goal was within reach. Whether that future still lies ahead remains uncertain. Eriksen was able to resume playing after being fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, though not in Italy, where such devices are prohibited.

Regardless of the prognosis, Bove has options. After achieving top marks in his school-leaving exams, he enrolled in an economics and management course at the Luiss Guido Carli University, studying part-time. “I'm privileged,” he told Corriere dello Sport in September. “University for me is about looking ahead to the future. My football career will not last forever, and I want to be prepared for what comes next.” The hope is that this is still a distant thought, and that Bove will fully pursue his sporting dreams before moving on to his next adventure. For now, the most important news is that we still have time to ask these questions.

Source link:   https://www.theguardian.com