Manchester United wing-back Patrick Dorgu has paid tribute to his former physio after his sudden death at the age of 38.
Lecce physio, Graziano Fiorita, was found dead on Thursday ahead of Friday’s Serie A match against Atalanta in Bergamo on Friday night.
Lecce announced the tragic news in a statement on their website, while confirming tomorrow’s match has now been postponed.
The statement read: ‘US Lecce, deeply shocked, announces that Graziano Fiorita has suddenly passed away. The physiotherapist was with the team at the retreat in Coccaglio.
‘The team will return to Lecce immediately, as tomorrow’s match against Atalanta will be postponed.
‘In this moment of deep pain and total disbelief, in which any word would be superfluous, the club can only gather around his wife Azzurra and his children Carolina, Davide, Nicolò and Riccardo, his mother Francesca and all his family members.’
Patrick Dorgu paid a heartfelt tribute to his former physio after his sudden death aged 38
Dorgu moved to Man United in February after breaking through at Lecce where he worked alongside physio, Graziano Fiorita
Fiorita had served Lecce for 20 years, and helped Dorgu make the breakthrough into the first team prior to his February switch to Old Trafford.
Dorgu took to Instagram to post a picture of Fiorita on his Story alongside the message in Italian that read: ‘Riposa in pace amico mio’ (rest in peace my friend).
Atalanta, who had been due to face Lecce on Friday, also sent their condolences following Fiorita’s passing.
‘Atalanta BC joins the family and @OfficialUSLecce in mourning the sudden passing of Graziano Fiorita, physiotherapist of the Salento club,’ the club’s X post stated.
The match will now need to be rescheduled in the same week that fixtures also had to be altered at the last minute in the aftermath of the death of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday. Four Serie A games had been due to take place, but they were subsequently moved to Wednesday as the nation mourned the loss of the Pope.
