Fiorentina have announced that captain Davide Astori has died at the age of 31. The Viola skipper passed away in his sleep in his hotel room in Udine.
A club spokesman said that he could not give a cause of death ahead of an autopsy. Italian media reported that Astori died of a heart attack during the night.
“Fiorentina are profoundly shaken and forced to announce that their captain Davide Astori has died,” read a club statement.
“For this terrible and delicate situation, and above all out of respect for his family, we appeal to the sensitivity of the media.”
Today's clash with Udinese has been subsequently cancelled.
The defender joined Fiorentina in 2015 and had since gone on to make 109 appearances for the club. In all he made 262 appearances in Serie A, scoring six goals.
The former Roma and Cagliari centre-back also earned 14 caps for the Italian national team.
La Fiorentina profondamente sconvolta si trova costretta a comunicare che e' scomparso il suo capitano Davide Astori, colto da improvviso malore.
— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) 4 de marzo de 2018
Per la terribile e delicata situazione, e soprattutto per rispetto della sua famiglia si fa appello alla sensibilità di tutti. pic.twitter.com/bFGnkReWEC
Astori, who started his career at AC Milan, enjoyed a 12-year career in Serie A, spending six years at Cagliari between 2008 and 2014.
He made 174 appearances for the Sardinians during a six-year spell. Their game with Genoa on Sunday morning was also called off. In 2014, he joined Roma on loan, before switching to Fiorentina the following year and eventually established himself as club captain, wearing the armband with pride.
He had made 27 appearances during the current campaign, scoring once. Astori had recently been in talks with the club over a new contract.
Astori leaves behind his partner, Francesca Fioretti, and a two-year-old daughter, Vittoria