VIDEO. Discomfort of a French defender in Serie A: concern and match stopped in Rome

Le défenseur s’est effondré dans les vingt dernières minutes. ANSA – GABRIELE MENIS

The match between Udinese and AS Roma, counting for the 32nd day of the Italian Championship, was stopped on Sunday after the discomfort of Roma's Franco-Ivorian defender, Evan Ndicka.

Ndicka collapsed in the 70th minute complaining of severe pain in his heart.

His teammates immediately called the club's medical staff, who were quickly joined by the emergency services equipped with a defibrillator. Ndicka, who always remained conscious according to images from the DAZN platform, was quickly evacuated on a stretcher and gave a thumbs up to indicate that he was well.

His coach Daniele De Rossi followed him through the corridors of the Udinese stadium to find out how he was doing. He returned to the side of the pitch to chat with his players, the referee and his Udinese counterpart. The referee then decided after long minutes of discussions with the Roma staff to stop the match, a decision which was greeted by applause from the spectators at the Bluenergy Stadium.

Match stopped in the 72nd minute

The score was 1-1 when the match was stopped. According to Italian Football League regulations, the match will resume in the 72nd minute on a date yet to be determined. AS Roma is 5th (56 pts) and Udinese 15th (29 pts). Aged 24, Ndicka, trained in Auxerre, joined Roma last summer after five seasons in Germany in Frankfurt.

The defender, a member of the Ivory Coast team that won the African Cup of Nations in January, was playing his 19th league match this season.