Two weeks after collapsing on the pitch and spending several days in intensive care, Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove has been discharged from Careggi University Hospital in Florence. While Bove is expected to visit his teammates soon, significant uncertainty looms over his future in Serie A and his professional career.

During Fiorentina’s Serie A clash with Inter Milan on December 1, the 22-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest in the 17th minute and was immediately attended to on the field. To stabilize his condition, Bove underwent surgery to implant a removable subcutaneous defibrillator.

Now in stable condition and recovering, Bove is expected to visit Viola Park in the coming hours to greet his teammates and Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino before beginning his rehabilitation process, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Fiorentina will face Bologna at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on Saturday for Matchday 16 of the 2024-25 Serie A season. While it’s unlikely that Bove will travel with the team, a brief visit with his teammates is expected as the midfielder continues to recover from his ordeal.

Edoardo Bove’s career: Two uncertain paths

La Gazzetta dello Sport outlines two possible options for Bove’s career: keeping the defibrillator and continuing his career in a league outside Italy, or having it removed to regain eligibility to play in Serie A. However, experts have expressed concerns about both scenarios, emphasizing the risks involved.

Dr. Giampiero Patrizi, president of the “Società Italiana di Cardiologia dello Sport” (Italian Society of Sports Cardiology), shared his insights with Cronache di Spogliatoio regarding the use of defibrillators in professional football.

“There has been talk about a removable defibrillator, but this definition doesn’t exist. Any defibrillator is removable, at the patient’s own risk. The only difference between types of defibrillators is that one is not implanted under the sternum, making it less invasive. The other is used for older patients, placed under the clavicle.”

Dr. Patrizi explained that since the tragic death of Renato Curi in 1977, Italian law has mandated that players must pass a fitness examination to compete professionally, effectively prohibiting the use of defibrillators. Dr. Patrizi emphasized the limitations of such devices.

“The athlete relies on the hope of continuing to play despite the risk, but this is a misguided hope. Through fitness examinations, we can detect 90-95% of potentially fatal conditions. Similarly, a defibrillator cannot protect the athlete 100%, nor can it guarantee that the heart will always be successfully defibrillated,” Dr. Patrizi stated. He also delivered a crucial message: “It is essential to help athletes with heart conditions understand that continuing intense physical activity is not advisable.”

Bove’s situation is being closely compared to the cases of other players with similar conditions. Sergio Aguero was forced to retire after being diagnosed with a heart condition, while Christian Eriksen continues to play at the highest level following his cardiac arrest in 2021. Eriksen’s successful return could serve as a source of inspiration for Bove, but experts caution that patience and a careful approach will be essential in navigating his recovery.