Serie A clash postponed after club chief rushed to hospital matter of hours before kick-off as details emerge

Fiorentina's Serie A clash against Atalanta was postponed just hours before kick-off after Joe Barone was taken ill and rushed to hospital.

Vincenzo Italiano's side were due to travel to Lombardy in Northern Italy to take on Atalanta this afternoon.

Fiorentina sit eighth in the Serie A standings and some 11 points from the Champions League positions.

Atalanta meanwhile are sixth and four points ahead of Fiorentina, with a gap of seven points to the top four of the Italian top tier with 10 games of the campaign to go as both sides aim to secure European football in some format for next season.

However, this encounter will have to be rearranged after it was postponed a matter of hours before kick-off.

A Fiorentina statement read: "It has been confirmed that the Serie A Week 29 match between Atalanta and Fiorentina scheduled for today, March 17, at 18:00 CET has been postponed until a later date."

Atalanta put out a similar message on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter as the game's postponement was confirmed and supporters were advised not to travel to the Gewiss Stadium, though some were already in their seats when the news was announced.

The Atalanta statement read: "As reported by the Lega Serie A, the MD29 fixture between Atalanta and Fiorentina, originally scheduled for today, March 17 2024, at 18:00 CET has been postponed to a date yet to be set.

"Fans are advised not to travel to the stadium."

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According to multiple reports, the reason for the postponement is Fiorentina director Joe Barone fell ill earlier on today and has since been rushed to hospital.

Reports state he is suspected to have suffered a heart attack.

Numerous Italian publications suggest that Fiorentina coach coach Vincenzo Italiano and captain Cristiano Biraghi were among the party from the club to travel to a hospital in Milan where Barone is being treated, as well as Viola technical director Nicolas Burdisso.

Barone will turn 58 on Wednesday and has been a director at Fiorentina since November 2019, having grown up in America after being born in Italy.