'You have gone to play football up there' - Bonucci pays tribute to Astori

Astori and Bonucci during national team duty

Rome, March 5: AC Milan and Italy centre-back Leonardo Bonucci gave an insight into the friendship he had with Davide Astori after the Fiorentina captain died suddenly on Sunday (March 4).

The football world was left mourning the tragic death of Astori, who was found in his hotel room just hours before Fiorentina were scheduled to face Udinese in Serie A.

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All Serie A fixtures were consequently postponed, with the cause of the 31-year-old's death unclear.

Team-mates and rivals mourn Astori's death

Astori earned 14 caps for Italy after making his debut in a friendly against Ukraine in 2011 and Bonucci posted a heartfelt message on Instagram as he remembered his former international team-mate.

Ciao Grande Asto, era così che ti chiamavo quando ci incontravamo, per una partita che ci vedeva avversari o per un raduno in Nazionale. Un sorriso e un abbraccio di quelli veri, una persona leale, onesta e umile. Quante volte abbiamo riso, scherzato, gioito insieme. Quante chiacchierate a tavola seduti accanto, o lungo il corridoio che a Coverciano porta alle camere, o in campo, e anche in camera. “Dai Leo sventagliamela come sai” era quello che mi ripetevi ogni allenamento durante la tattica. Con quel sorriso che non finiva mai e che faceva capire quanto di buono c’era dentro di Te. Te ne sei andato a giocare lassù e so che lo farai sempre con un grande sorriso. Quello che ti ha sempre contraddistinto. Sei un grande amico mio. Mancherai. Leo

A post shared by Leonardo Bonucci (@bonuccileo19) on Mar 4, 2018 at 8:09am PST

"Ciao Grande Asto," Bonucci wrote. "That's what I called you when we'd meet, for a game that saw us as opponents or for a Nazionale get-together.

"A smile, an embrace – one of the real ones – a person who was fair, honest and humble.

"How many times we laughed, joked and celebrated together. How many chats at the table sat side-by-side, or along the corridor that at Coverciano takes us to the [Italy training camp] bedrooms, on the pitch, or in the rooms.

"'Come on Leo, do a sweeping pass like only you know how' was what you kept repeating to me during tactical training sessions. With that smile that never ended and that made it clear how much goodness there was within you.

"You have gone to play football up there and you'll do it with the same big smile. The smile you always had."

Fiorentina midfielder Marco Benassi also used Instagram to pay tribute to his skipper.

"I cannot give an explanation or a reason for all of this…" wrote Benassi. "I have only one certainty, you will forever remain in the hearts of all the people you met and that is because the person you were makes that inevitable!

"Thank you for everything, you will always be our captain. Rest in peace, my friend!"

"Passiamo la vita a correre e competere, ognuno alla ricerca del suo gol personale. Poi qualcuno stacca la foglia dall'albero." Con gli occhi gonfi di lacrime, il cuore straziato.. ti dico Grazie amico mio, grazie per la tua umiltà, la tua bontà, i tuoi insegnamenti. Grazie per la nostra amicizia. Mi mancherai, ti porto e ti porterò sempre nel cuore. Veglia da lassù sulla tua famiglia, la tua compagna e la tua piccola principessa. Resterai come un segno indelebile inciso nel mio cuore! Mancherai#friendswillbefriends

A post shared by Federico Bernardeschi (@fbernardeschi) on Mar 4, 2018 at 7:43am PST

Federico Bernardeschi, who left Fiorentina for Italian champions Juventus in the off-season, said: "With eyes full of tears, a heart torn apart, I say Thank You my friend, for your humility, your kindness, your teachings, our friendship.

"I'll miss you and I will carry you always in my heart. Look out for your family, your partner and your little princess. I miss you."

Source: OPTA