Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove has spoken of how the support he received from the soccer community has aided his recovery in his first public statement since he collapsed mid-match.
Bove passed out during Fiorentina’s game with Inter Milan on December 1 leading to its abandonment. After surgery to implant a removable heart starter device, the Italian was discharged from hospital on Friday.
“The unpleasant episode that took place during Fiorentina-Inter showed me, even more than I thought, that football is much more than a match, a championship, or a career,” the 22-year-old wrote in a post on social media on Monday.
“Football is a community of people, linked by the same passion, who share moments of joy, emotion, anger, disappointment and suffering.
“It is precisely in these moments that I realise how genuine this sport is, how, beyond results, competition or rivalry, we are all united.”
Bove’s collapse brought the Italian football community together, and the player also received messages from across the globe.
“The affection I received, the warmth of the fans, the support from teammates and opponents, the closeness of the WHOLE world of football was something that gave me strength and an incredible courage,” he added.
“I felt surrounded by a positive energy that allowed me to remain calm, not to feel the loneliness that is often present in this type of difficulty.
“For this reason, I would like us all to commit ourselves not to forget the true essence of our sport, not to let ourselves be overshadowed by its commercial side and not to take its authentic spirit for granted.”
Bove will now focus on a return to action, but it remains to be seen whether that will be at Fiorentina. The defibrillator he now carries is not permitted in Serie A, and will need to be removed for Bove to continue playing in Italy.
“I am fine and that’s the most important thing,” Bove, who is on loan from AS Roma, concluded.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/soccer/soccer-community-gave-me-strength-and-courage-bove-c-17105895
