Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove said he “feels good” and that the support he has received from fans, teammates and opponents has helped him recover after being placed in an induced coma.
On December 1, Bove collapsed on the pitch during a match against Inter Milan.
“In moments like these, I understand how authentic this sport is and how beyond results, competition and rivalry we are all connected to each other,” Bove wrote on Twitter Instagram on Monday in his first public comments since the incident. “Bound together by a bond that, once created, grows stronger in difficult times, becoming almost unbreakable.
“I have experienced this firsthand over the last few days: the feeling I received, the warmth of the fans, the support from teammates and opponents and the closeness of the entire football world gave me incredible strength and courage,” Bove added.
“I felt surrounded by positive energy, which helped me stay calm and not feel the loneliness that often occurs in such situations.”
Bove, 22, was released from hospital on Friday but will not be able to play again in Italy if he needs a heart defibrillator.
Playing with a defibrillator is prohibited in Italy.
However, Bove could follow in the footsteps of former Inter Milan midfielder Christian Eriksen, who resumed his career in the English Premier League after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at the 2021 European Championships and having a defibrillator implanted.
“I feel good and that’s the most important thing!” Bove said. “See you soon… On the pitch!”
Bove joined Fiorentina on loan from Roma in August with an option to make the move permanent.
