Fiorentina midfielder Marco Benassi is sure “Davide Astori was on the field with us today and I like to think he helped Vitor Hugo’s leap.”
The captain died a week ago at the age of 31, as he went to sleep in the team hotel ahead of a game and never woke up.
It was an emotional day at the Stadio Franchi, as the Viola returned to the field for the first time since the tragedy, beating Benevento 1-0.
Fiorentina midfielder Marco Benassi is sure “Davide Astori was on the field with us today and I like to think he helped Vitor Hugo’s leap.”
The captain died a week ago at the age of 31, as he went to sleep in the team hotel ahead of a game and never woke up.
It was an emotional day at the Stadio Franchi, as the Viola returned to the field for the first time since the tragedy, beating Benevento 1-0.
“It was a very difficult day and stepping into that locker room, looking at his locker and seeing he wasn’t there… that was difficult,” Benassi told Sky Sport Italia.
“We played for him, we tried to put on to the field the ideas that he would embrace and I hope he’s proud of what we did. Now it’s up to us to carry on his principles. Everyone has been so close to us, but it’s up to us now.”
The only goal of the game was scored by Vitor Hugo, the man who replaced Astori in defence and who wore the Number 31 jersey – the reverse of Astori’s 13.
“I think that Davide was on the field with us today and I like to think he helped Vitor Hugo’s leap. That’s how I want to see it.”