Former Liverpool and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has slammed former Barcelona defender Dani Alves over comments the PSG star made about Davide Astori.
31-year-old Astori, the Fiorentina captain and Italy international, tragically died in his sleep on Sunday.
An initial autopsy report has confirmed he suffered cardiac arrest due to bradycardia – an abnormal slowing of the heart.
“Thousands of children die every day without this much attention being paid to them. Their deaths are just as important” Alves said at a pre-match Press conference before PSG’s Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
Balotelli hit back on an Instagram live stream with Damiano Er Faina.
In honour of Davide #Astori's memory, @CagliariCalcio and #ACFFiorentina have decided to retire the No.13 shirt. #DA13⚜️ pic.twitter.com/fwuiCXjzL4
— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) March 6, 2018
“What he said… he could’ve kept it to himself at that moment,” said Balotelli.
“He should’ve just passed on his condolences and that’s it, not talk rubbish. You cannot make those comments when faced with someone’s death.
“He said things that had **** all to do with anything. Astori, by the way, was a good guy, polite, and I can say that because I played with him for the Nazionale. (Italian national team.)
“Unfortunately, I can’t go to the funeral on Thursday because I have a training session, otherwise I would’ve got in the car and attended.
“It’s something that happened despite the many checks we players are subjected to once a month.
“It’s scary to think about this, because he was in bed and seemed fine. It’s too easy to find yourself going up into the sky.”
