Mattia Giani had a bad turn while in action for Castelfiorentino against Lanciotto Campi in the Eccellenza championship match at the Campi Bisenzio municipal stadium. He was rushed to Florence's Careggi hospital.
Mayor Alessio Falorni said Monday that he had passed away there. The match was abandoned. (see related story on Roma's Ndicka). The match has been abandoned, the mayor said on Facebook on Monday. The mayor said that Giani was playing for a minor-league club in the city of Florence. The club has not commented on the death of the 26-year-old player. It is the second death of a soccer player in Italy this week. The first was in a car accident on Saturday. The driver was taken to hospital and later died of his injuries, the town's mayor said. The game was abandoned and the match was called off. The player was playing in the second half of the match.