Fiorentina have announced that they have retired Davide Astori’s shirt number as a mark of respect after their captain passed away suddenly over the weekend at the tragically young age of 31.
Astori thus becomes the first Viola player to ever receive the honour in the club’s 91-year history…
Per onorarne la memoria e rendere indelebile il ricordo di Davide Astori, @CagliariCalcio e Fiorentina hanno deciso di ritirare congiuntamente la maglia con il numero 13. #DA13⚜ pic.twitter.com/KXP6s8WFlG
— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) March 6, 2018
Astori’s former club Cagliari have also vowed to jointly retire his old squad number (he wore the No.13 jersey there too), making the centre-half only the second Rossoblu player to receive the honour after the great Luigi Riva (No.11).
That’s some esteemed company.
Lovely stuff from both clubs.