The funeral of Davide Astori is taking place in Florence on Thursday.
The 31-year-old was found dead in his hotel room on Sunday, hours before the Fiorentina side he captained were scheduled to play Udinese in a Serie A match.
His team-mates were pictured arriving at the Santa Croce church in Florence ahead of the service, which is scheduled to begin at 10am in Italy.
The Fiorentina squad pictured arriving at the Santa Croce church in Florence for the funeral of Davide Astori
The Fiorentina captain Astori died in his sleep at the team hotel ahead of a Serie A clash on Sunday with Udinese
Gianluigi Buffon acknowledges the Fiorentina supporters who had lined the streets of Florence as he attends Astori’s funeral
Mourners lined the streets around Fiorentina’s stadium and applauded as Astori’s coffin was driven past
Mourners lined the streets and applauded loudly as Astori’s coffin was driven past Fiorentina’s Artemio Franchi stadium. There were shouts of his name and ‘grande capitano’ (great captain) and a banner held up read: ‘Per sempre nostro capitano (forever our captain)’.
Nice striker Mario Balotelli was in Florence to remember Astori and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was there after flying back from London following the Champions League victory over Tottenham on Wednesday.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, a team-mate of Astori at Roma, will also attend, according to reports in Italy.Venezia coach Filippo Inzaghi – best known in Italian football for his time as a player at AC Milan – was seen arriving while Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti led his side into the church.
Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti led his side into the church in Florence ahead of the service
A banner is held aloft amid a sea of Fiorentina supporters paying their respects, reading: ‘Forever our captain’
Nice forward and Italy international Mario Balotelli pictured arriving to remember Astori ahead of the service
Fiorentina and Cagliari, Astori’s club between 2008 and 2016, announced on Tuesday that they had retired the No 13 shirt in honour of their former player.
Fiorentina tweeted: ‘In honour of Davide Astori’s memory, Cagliari and Fiorentina have decided to retire the No 13 shirt.’
Cagliari, having changed their Twitter handle to ‘Ciao Davide’, added: ‘To honour their memory and make indelible the memory of David Astori, @acffiorentina and @CagliariCalcio have decided to jointly withdraw the jersey with the number 13.’
Fiorentina announced on Sunday morning that Astori had died following a ‘sudden illness’. All of Sunday’s Serie A fixtures were postponed and a day later, prosecutors opened a culpable homicide case over his death.
The chief prosecutor in Udine, Antonio De Nicolo, said on Monday that a culpable homicide case — which in Britain is known as manslaughter — would be opened, but that it was a formality at this stage and that ‘no one has a responsibility for anything’.
Astori, who played for Italy 14 times, leaves behind his partner, Francesca Fioretti, and their 2-year-old daughter.
Filippo Inzaghi (left), now manager of Venezia, and Inter Milan manager Spalletti arrive for the service
Fiorentina supporters held up scarves in their traditional purple-and-white colours at Astori’s funeral
Federico Bernardeschi of Juventus and Alessandro Florenzi of Roma arrive before Astori’s funeral