Football star dies after taking a shot aged 26 as Roma ace leads tributes to striker
PROSECUTORS have launched a manslaughter investigation after a footballer aged 26 died after taking a shot during a match.
Roma defender Gianluca Mancini led tributes to Castelfiorentino striker Mattia Giani, who collapsed clutching his chest early in the game.
Giani was taken to hospital in Florence following the 15th-minute incident but was pronounced dead the following day.
Reports in Italy say investigators want to clarify issues such as the timing of the emergency treatment he received.
Dad Sandro has also filed a complaint to “understand how our son died”.
He has questioned what medical services were on hand at the Lanciotto Campi in Tuscany for Sunday’s match.
The tragedy happened after Giani took a shot at goal, then fell, holding his chest.
It’s understood his heart stopped beating for several minutes and a club masseur reportedly tried to resuscitate him on the pitch.
Giani was then taken to Florence’s Careggi Hospital but died there on Monday.
Italy star Mancini, whose sister is dating Giani’s brother Elia, joined the outpouring of shock over his death.
And the centre-back, 28, dedicated his goal in Thursday’s 2-1 Europa League victory over AC Milan to him.
Mancini told Sky Sports Italia: “My sister and Mattia’s family are suffering.
“The world around them has collapsed, but they will rise again. I wanted to dedicate this goal to him.”
Mancini also wore a T-shirt with a message in Italian translating as: “Farewell Mattia, forever with us.”
Giani’s girlfriend Sofia Caruso has told of the couple’s “beautiful” last morning together and of his tender last message by phone.
They had been living together for just two days.
She said: “We woke up on Sunday. We talked and laughed – it was beautiful.
“Then Matti took the bag. I stayed at home. Then his cell phone rang. It was a message from him, the last one.
“He wrote to me, ‘Love, I left you the accreditation for the match in the name of Giani. I love you madly’.
“He always told me that he loved me like crazy and I loved him like crazy too.
“We were thinking about getting married, we said we wanted children.
“Mattia made me understand what love was and he took care of me. Matti was a pure and good person.”
Castelfiorentino coach Nico Scaridigli said: “Mattia was a wonderful guy.
“He had a wonderful girlfriend who loved him more than anything.
“From a sporting perspective, he was a good footballer who was fun. He always had a knockout shot.
“His career didn’t go as well as he deserved just because of muscle problems.”