Eduardo Bove: Serie A match abandoned after midfielder collapses on pitch

The Italian league title race didn’t seem so important on Sunday after a player collapsed on the field during a Serie A match.

League leaders Napoli had won 1-0 at Torino earlier in the day and were waiting to see how their rivals would fare, especially Fiorentina and Inter Milan, which were playing each other later and were just four points behind.

But the result suddenly seemed of little importance when Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove fell to the ground in the 16th minute of the match, which was abandoned shortly afterwards with the scoreline at 0-0.

The 22-year-old Bove was swiftly stretchered off to an ambulance and taken to hospital. There has been no update so far from his club on the player’s condition.

Fiorentina players were distraught on the field and were comforted by staff members as well as Inter players. Several were openly sobbing before both teams filed off the field.

Referee Daniel Doveri then took the teams off the field as the game was suspended, and a little over half an hour later it was confirmed that the match had been abandoned.

A post from Serie A on X read: “Forza Edoardo. We’re all with you.”

A subsequent statement from the Florence club said: “ACF Fiorentina and the Careggi University Hospital have announced that footballer Edoardo Bove, who was treated on the pitch following a loss of consciousness during the Fiorentina v Inter match, is currently under sedation and is hospitalised in intensive care.

“The Viola player arrived at the emergency department in stable haemodynamic conditions and initial cardiological and neurological tests have ruled out acute damage to the central nervous system and the cardio-respiratory system. Bove will be re-evaluated in the next 24 hours.”

Bove, a product of Roma’s youth system, joined Fiorentina from the Giallorossi in August on a season-long loan with an option to buy.

Napoli will end the weekend still top of a tight Serie A table after Scott McTominay scored the only goal of the match at Torino.

Lazio’s run of seven straight wins had been brought to an end by a draw against Ludogorets in the Europa League midweek and it was worse on Sunday as they fell to their first loss since October, 3-1 at Parma who inched four points clear of the drop zone with the win.

Patrick Vieira recorded his first win as Genoa coach with a 2-0 victory at Udinese, which played almost the entire match with 10 men.

Udinese defender Isaak Toure’s match lasted just 120 second before he was sent off for elbowing Genoa’s Alessandro Zanoli in the face.

Andrea Pinamonti fired Genoa in front in the 13th minute and an own goal from Udinese defender Lautaro Giannetti in the second half all but sealed the result.

Vieira was hired during the international break to replace the fired Alberto Gilardino and his debut last week ended in a 2-2 draw against Cagliari.