Fiorentina to rename training ground after Davide Astori with further tributes planned

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Fiorentina have announced plans to rename their training ground after Davide Astori.

The club captain, who played 91 times for the club during a three-season spell, was found dead in his hotel room earlier in March after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest.

Thousands of Italian football fans attended the 31-year-old's funeral on March 8 and the club, along with former team Cagliari, subsequently retired the No.13 shirt in his honour.

Ahead of Sunday's 2-1 win at Torino, Fiorentina president Mario Cognigni told Premium Sport: "It has been a difficult week, I want to thank all those who have shown affection for us.

"We will dedicate our sports centre to Davide because it was his home, it will be called Centro Sportivo Davide Astori and it is only the first initiative that will keep alive the memory of a special person."

The Italy national team will wear special shirts in honour of Astori, who made 14 appearances for Azzurri having been called up 58 times.

"There's something strange," Interim coach Luigi Di Biagio said. "But we've got to try to normalize things, because otherwise it all becomes devastating."

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