Davide Astori

Davide Astori ( 7 January 1987 – 4 March 2018) was an Italian professional footballer who played as a central defender.

After playing youth football for Pontisola and AC Milan, Astori started his senior career at Serie C clubs Pizzighettone and Cremonese, playing one season for each while on loan from Milan.

Born and raised in the province of Bergamo, Astori started playing football with local team Pontisola before joining AC Milan in 2001.

He spent five years in the club's youth system.

Astori later reflected on his development, saying: "After a year of courtship, of auditions, I came to wear the AC Milan shirt with the very young regional players. Along with twelve, thirteen new players. There was always a lot of change. I'm from San Giovanni Bianco, so it was already an adventure. But the greatest memories are precisely due to transfers with teammates, making the return from training. They were beautiful years, lived positively, for a boy there was no better experience. Honestly, it is difficult to get out of balance, because in fifty professional clubs there are twenty boys for each team in the youth sector, so every word is illusory. I have always believed in it and hoped for it, growing from year to year until it becomes one."

Astori was sent on two consecutive loan spells to Serie C1 clubs Pizzighettone and Cremonese for the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons, respectively.

In 2008, Cagliari signed him in a co-ownership deal, before signing him fully from Milan, for whom he never made a first team appearance, in 2011.

At the beginning of the 2008–09 season, Astori was signed by Serie A club Cagliari in a co-ownership deal with Milan, for €1 million.

Upon joining the club, he said: "For me, it's an adventure which I undertake with great desire to test myself, learn and grow. I will be ready if and when the coach's call arrives."

Astori made his official debut in the top-flight during an away game against Siena on 14 September 2008, coming on as a 53rd-minute substitute, in a 2–0 loss.

Since making his debut for the club, he spent most of the season on the substitute bench throughout the season.

But Astori made six starts for Cagliari, all of them were centre–back position.

At the end of the 2008–09 season, Astori made eleven appearances for the side.

(pre-agreed €1 million tagged in 2008 and additional €2.5 million) At the start of the 2011–12 season, Astori started in the first eight league matches, playing in the centre–back position, continuing to partner with Canini.

In June 2009, the club renewed their ownership with A.C. Milan to keep Astori at Cagliari for another year.

At the start of the 2009–10 season, he replaced Diego López and quickly became a first team regular, playing in the centre–back position.

Astori then helped the club keep three consecutive clean sheets between 28 October 2009 and 8 November 2009.

Despite missing three matches during the 2009–10 season, Astori made thirty–five appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.

Over the summer, rumours spread when A.C. Milan was keen to sign Astori but nothing happened.

Despite the rumours, Astori was keen to rejoin A.C. Milan in the summer.

He then scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Fiorentina on 31 January 2010.

A month later on 28 February 2010, Astori scored his second goal in a 2–1 loss against Chievo.

On 3 April 2010, Astori scored an own goal against A.C. Milan to allow Milan scored the third goal in the match which Cagliari lost 3–2.

The club renewed their ownership with A.C. Milan to keep Astori at Cagliari for another year in June 2010.

At the start of the 2010–11 season, he helped the side keep three clean sheets in the first five league matches.

Since the start of the 2010–11 season, Astori continued to regain his first team place in the centre–back position, forming a partnership with Michele Canini.

He also started in every match until missing one match for picking up five yellow cards and served a suspension against Catania on 12 December 2010.

After serving a one match suspension, Astori returned to the starting line–up against Cesena on 18 December 2010, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 loss.

Following his return, he continued to start in the centre–back position for the next twelve matches.

At the end of the 2010–11 season, he made thirty–six appearances in all competitions.

Astori made his international debut for Italy in 2011 and represented his country on 14 occasions, scoring one goal, which came in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup third place play off, where he won a bronze medal.

This lasted until Astori was suspended for the second time for picking another five yellow cards and served a suspension against Napoli on 20 March 2011.

After serving a one match suspension, Astori returned to the starting line–up against Genoa on 3 April 2011 and helped the side keep a clean sheet, in a 1–0 win.

In a follow–up matcha against Brescia, he set up the club's opening goal of the game, in a 1–0 win.

In the last game of the season against Parma, Astori set up the equalising goal, in a 1–1 draw to end Cagliari's four match losing streak.

On 22 June 2011, the club bought the residual 50% registration rights from Milan for another €3.5 million.

However, he suffered a fractured foot in a match against Napoli on 23 October 2011 following an intervention by Ezequiel Lavezzi and have to come off on the 21 minutes in a 0–0 draw.

He later spent loan spells at Roma and Fiorentina, before signing with the latter club permanently in 2016; he was subsequently named the team's captain in 2017.

On 4 March 2018, Astori was found dead in his hotel room prior to a league match.

His autopsy revealed cardiac arrest as his cause of death.