FIRENZE — “You didn't want the shirt, here's the banner. We are waiting for you in Edo.” A heart drawn in a spray can and the Fiorentina the entire team, from the management to the staff and all the players, to hold the sheet on the sidelines before the kick-off of the matches round of 16 of the Italian Cup against theEmpoli. The best surprise, a joke in typical Florentine style after Bove had asked not to receive any special shirt as a tribute to him three days after the drama that kept Florence in suspense. A long round of applause from the almost eighteen thousand spectators ideally embraced the player who will certainly have smiled from his hospital bed.
Florence's homage to Bove
“Come back soon Edo, we love you”, the message appeared on the big screen of the stadium when the official lineups were announced. Then the choreography of the Fiesole ultras: a large number four, like Bove's shirt number, colored purple on a white field. All around the flags, the scarves, some smoke bombs. It has a certain effect to return to the same stadium, with the same ambulance sadly featured a few days ago placed under the Curva, and think back to what happened on Sunday evening. To those moments of incalculable fear, to the rush of help on the green lawn, to the stretcher carrying the player onto the vehicle that will take him to the hospital. A sense of community, confirmed by the many fans who have chosen to rally around their team in the moment of greatest need. There are many signs with the number four, hand-drawn by children in the various sectors of the stadium.
Bove, the choreography of the Fiorentina fans: a big “4” in the corner
04 December 2024
Empoli in the quarterfinals against Juventus or Cagliari
The Viola coach Raffale Palladinoon the field, had opted for a lineup full of starters. Partly so as not to snub the competition that the club cares about, partly because in such a delicate moment it has chosen to rely on the leaders. Gosens, Dodo, Ranieri, Kean to name a few. The Viola go under, goal by Eco on Quarta error. Then the equalizer of the usual Kean (thirteenth goal of the season) who celebrates showing the number four with his fingers and the overtaking of Thin. Esposito gets his team back on track by taking the match to penalties and scoring the decisive one after errors from Ekong, Ranieri and Kean. In the quarterfinals the Azzurri will face the winner of the match between Juventus e Cagliari.
