On Sunday, December 1 the match between Fiorentina and Inter was interrupted and the abandoned in the 17th minute when Italian midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch. The 22-year-old was stretchered off the pitch and placed into an ambulance in the corner before leaving the Stadio Artemio Franchi and being transported to Careggi hospital in Florence.
Later, after the game, when both teams had already left the stadium, Fiorentina issued the first official statement about Bove's health conditions, affirming that the player was "treated on the pitch following a loss of consciousness during the Fiorentina vs. Inter match" and was in intensive care. "The Viola player arrived at the emergency department in stable hemodynamic conditions and initial cardiological and neurological tests have ruled out acute damage to the central nervous system and the cardio-respiratory system."
On Monday December 2, after the game, Fiorentina issued a second statement, announcing that "Edoardo Bove, following an uneventful night, was awakened and extubated this morning. He is currently awake, alert and oriented. He has spoken with his family, club management, the coach and his teammates, who all rushed to go and see him as soon as they heard the good news. Further tests will be carried out in the coming days to establish what led to the critical situation that took place yesterday. The club would also like to thank the wider Fiorentina family and the entire world of football who, during this difficult time, have shown great sympathy and care through their messages and support, which have been of great comfort to both to the club and Edoardo and his family."
The week after, on December 10, Bove underwent a surgery to install the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker that can prevent fatal cardiac arrest by delivering a shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. Since the ICD is not permitted to play in the Italian Serie A, the results of further medicals tests will determine if he will be able to remove the device or not, allowing him to play again with Fiorentina.
The Viola issued the following statement on the same day: "ACF Fiorentina can confirm that Edoardo Bove has undergone successful surgery. Edoardo has been in contact with the club to reassure everyone that is is well. He will remain in hospital for a few days to recover from his operation."
What exactly happened in the 17th minute?
A few moments before the collapse, Inter striker Lautaro Martinez seemed to score the opening goal of the game, but it was disallowed and all the eyes in that moment were on the referee as he made his decision after Inter wing back Denzel Dumfries had failed to keep the ball in play. While all the attention was there, Bove was seen on his knees, adjusting his shoes, and when he got up again he collapsed after a few steps. His fall immediately caught the attention of Dumfries, who was the first one asking for help, followed by the whole Inter bench, given that they were in front of the Fiorentina player when it happened. Inter manager Simone Inzaghi ran onto the pitch, alongside his staff and was immediately followed by Fiorentina's bench and the medical staff. The two teams, as has become customary when a serious medical incident takes place created a circle around the player, to prevent cameras from intruding during the distressing situation show what was going on.
From that moment on, chaos and uncertainty surrounded the health conditions of Bove. Players like Inter's Federico Dimarco and Fiorentina's Robin Gosens urged the ambulance to arrive more quickly onto the pitch, not knowing that the protocol has thankfully become much more efficient in recent years and the medical assistance had everything needed to assist Bove on the ground, while the ambulance was only needed to drive him to the hospital, not provide on-site medical assistance. Overnight between Sunday and Monday, many wanted to visit Bove at the hospital, starting from his family and Fiorentina sport director Daniele Prade, who was joined later by the coach Raffaele Palladino and the team, according to widespread reports.
Who is Edoardo Bove?
The 22-year-old plays as a left winger for Fiorentina on loan from Roma. An up-and-coming prospect with the Italian national team, Bove has been a regular with the U-21 side, making six appearances this season. He has appeared in 14 matches for Fiorentina, registering a goal and three assists in all competitions this season. Becoming a regular starter for the side, Bove has been an important part of the Viola's strong form, which has seen them rise into the top four in Serie A as things stand.
When will the game be resumed?
Considering the schedule of both teams and the increasing number of games over the season, Fiorentina and Inter will likely resume the game in February, but that will also depend on the European campaigns of both sides, with Inter playing in the Champions League and Fiorentina the Conference League. Whenever it does resume, the match will start from the 17th minute. The Italian Serie A will determine the exact day of the game in the coming days.
What happens next for Bove
It's still not clear what will happen in the future for the Italian player, who is undergoing all the tests needed to understand the causes of his collapse on the pitch. In recent years, there have been some similar cases in Italy that have led to different outcomes, even when players are pronounced healthy. Last season, AS Roma defender Evan Ndicka collapsed on the pitch during an away game against Udinese, but after a spate of negative tests involving his heart, the player resumed his football career with no consequences.
Famously, in June 2021, former Inter midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed during the Denmark's opening game of the UEFA Euro 2020 against Finland and the player was forced to install the ICD device, a type of pacemaker that prevents fatal cardiac arrests by "discharging a jolt to restore regular heart rhythm." The Italian FA doesn't allow players to play with the ICD device in the Italian league, and for this reason Eriksen was forced to part ways with Inter before making his comeback in 2022 when he joined Brentford.
It's too early to say what Bove's prognosis will be, but depending on his medical status, his future in Serie A is certainly an open question.