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Monday Kickoff: Morosini passes, Cabanas returns and more

Piermario Morosini (Getty Images)

Italian soccer is still in shock after the passing of midfielder Piermario Morosini, so much so that Udinese captain Antonio di Natale is considering retirement at season's end.

Morosini collapsed during Livorno's Serie B match against Pescara on Saturday after suffering cardiac arrest. The 25-year-old midfielder, who was on loan to Livorno from Udinese, was tended to on the field and rushed to a nearby hospital but attempts to revive him were unsuccesful.

Morosini's passing has resulted in Di Natale, 34, to contemplate retiring. Di Natale said too much soccer is played in Italy, and that he will finish out this season as tribute to Morosini before making a decision on his playing future.

Livorno players and fans gathered at the team's stadium on Sunday to show their respect for Morosini, laying flowers, scarves and banners under a jersey that had been placed at the main gate.

Here are more stories from Monday:

CABANAS RETURNS TO ACTION

Paraguayan striker Salvador Cabanas returned to professional soccer on Saturday night, playing in his first official match since being shot in the head just over two years ago. Cabanas, who still has the bullet lodged in his head, played most of the first half as his second-division Paraguay side, Club 12 de Octubre, defeated Club Martin Ledesma, 2-0. Both goals came after halftime.

DIOUF ARRESTED AFTER BRAWL AT NIGHTCLUB

Doncaster Rovers forward El-Hadji Diouf was one of six men arrested on Sunday after a nightclub brawl left a 33-year-old man in the hospital. The fight occurred in a Manchester nightclub, with Diouf being taken into custody on suspicion of violent conduct. Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand was questioned about the incident by police but not arrested.

RODRIGUEZ AGREES TO NEW PALERMO DEAL

Uruguayan forward Abel Hernandez will be donning a Palermo jersey for the foreseeable future. The 21-year-old striker signed a contract extension with the Serie A club that runs through June 2016. Hernandez has scored five goals in 15 league appearances this season.

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What do you think of Di Natale possibly retiring after the death of Morosini? Do you see Cabanas building on this performance? Was it a smart move for Palermo to extend Rodriguez's stay?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I’m shocked no MLS player has collapsed. Games June-Aug @ RFK are brutal. Btw Blatter called for capping league sizes @ 18 and dumping League Cups a few years ago for the sake of player health. FA’s and league managers balked.

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  2. Yeah but literally everywhere else (including non-sports outlets) were covering this, it’s not like it would have been news to anyone on this site. Also not to sound rash, but there isn’t really *that* much of a story. It’s incredibly tragic, for sure, but outside of him dying from cardiac arrest there isn’t much substance to report on. I really hope that came out right.

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  3. I seriously doubt the doctors would let him play if the bullet had any chance of moving. It’s gotta be firmly lodged in there. I have 4 metal screws and a metal plate holding my spinal cord together but I can play tackle (american) football without problem.

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  4. I love this website, but it was odd to say the least that 20+ stories(estimating) were posted since it was first reported that he had collapsed. I know everybody’s busy/has specific duties, but, perceptionally at least, it seemed the LAG-Portland recap was of higher priority than this story. Not saying that’s the case or trying to criticize anybody, just a bit confused why this story wasn’t published earlier.

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  5. if the bullet is lodged in his, i would imagine it would not be wise to go for a 50/50.. or even a header… if that shifts, wouldnt it be life threatening?

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  6. amazing is an understatement. I hope he continues playing for a while. i wonder what the doctor told him about taking headers?

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  7. I think his point is that there is too much stress on the body. Soccer players get only 3 weeks off in the offseason, and 49 weeks a year they’re running 5-7 miles a day for 20 years or so. There’s go to be a point where too much is too much on the body.

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  8. I think Di Natale is a bit off his rocker– not thinking clearly because this has upset him so. How often does a soccer player drop dead on the field? Every day, across the globe hundreds, probably thousands of people die in motor vehicle accidents. If he wants to live a long time, he shouldn’t get into cars. Play soccer, stay fit, and walk everywhere.

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  9. Tragic about Morosini. Italy has some if not the most rigorous testing for heart problems in athletes and this still happened.

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