An Italian soccer match was abruptly abandoned on Sunday after a 24-year-old player with no prior health issues suddenly collapsed with chest pains.
During the game between Roma and Udinese, defender Evan Ndicka fell to the ground in the 72nd minute and was rushed to hospital.
The game between Udinese and Roma has been called off following a medical incident involving Evan Ndicka ❌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 14, 2024
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/4m0rqQv31j
Roma’s medical staff and emergency services advised the referee to abandon the match before taking the player off on a stretcher.
🚨🇮🇹 Live Italian Serie A match suspended as Roma player N’Dicka suffers another ‘coincidence’ off the ball & is stretchered off.
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) April 14, 2024
At what point do athletes start demanding answers as to what’s happening?
Hopefully he’ll be ok. pic.twitter.com/t4C9YHzF7Q
Following his hospitalization, Roma confirmed he was undergoing tests in hospital.
“The team visited Ndicka in hospital,” the post read on X.
“Evan feels better and is in good spirits.”
“He will remain under observation for tests in hospital.”
La squadra ha fatto visita a Ndicka in ospedale.
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) April 14, 2024
Evan si sente meglio ed è di buon umore. Resterà in osservazione per accertamenti in ospedale.
Forza Evan! 💪#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/M2PfNeqOoq
The Daily Mail reported:
Sky Italia reported how Roma coach De Rossi had asked Pairetto to suspend the game while he checked on N’Dicka – who had stayed down after reportedly suffering a blow to the ribs – in the dressing room.
After coming back out onto the pitch, De Rossi was seen in conversation with his players as they discussed whether to continue the game.
He then spoke to Pairetto and his Udinese counterpart Gabriele Cioffi, who seemed to be very understanding of the situation as the pair embraced.
The incident occurred just months after Premier League teams Bournemouth and Luton Town in the UK suspended their matches after a 29-year-old captain, Tom Lockyer, collapsed without any contact with other players.
It was later confirmed the layer suffered a cardiac arrest and had an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator fitted.
We all hope and pray for our leader and captain Tom Lockyer, who is thankfully responsive and has been taken to hospital.
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) December 16, 2023
We don’t know the full extent of what happened and what the next steps are at this stage, but we thank Bournemouth and the medical staff on both sides for… pic.twitter.com/pPCuB9ROju
READ: Egyptian Football Player, 30, Collapses from Heart Attack
