Fiorentina pay respect to Bove with banners ahead of kick-off between Fiorentina and Empoli in the Coppa Italia Round of 16. (picture: @acffiorentina via X)
The entire Fiorentina squad and Viola coaching staff came together to pay tribute to midfielder Edoardo Bove, who is currently in intensive care after collapsing on the pitch in the Serie A match against Inter on Sunday, ahead of kick-off in Wednesday’s Coppa Italia match against Empoli.
Fiorentina pay respect to Bove after on-pitch collapse
The Fiorentina players unveiled two banners in front of the cameras, which read: ‘You didn’t want a shirt, so here’s a banner’ and ‘Edo, we’re waiting for you’.
INSIEME💜#fiorentinaempoli #coppaitalia #forzaviola pic.twitter.com/S4w7ETh0CI
— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) December 4, 2024
The first banner shows that Bove clearly didn’t want his teammates to lift up his shirt ahead of kick-off, which has become somewhat of a trend amongst certain squads if a player is ruled out with a particularly serious injury or illness.
Though Bove presumably didn’t want too much of a fuss, there were still plenty of tributes ahead of kick-off in Fiorentina’s Coppa Italia round of 16 match against local challengers Empoli.
Fans held up homemade banners wishing the 22-year-old a speedy recovery, while the Curva Nord unfurled a tifo holding up his shirt number, 4, in Fiorentina colours.
Bove remains in intensive care, but has been awake and alert since the beginning of the week. He has spoken to several of his colleagues in-person at the Careggi hospital and also spoke to the whole Viola squad via a video call on Monday.
