Fiorentina press officer Arturo Mastronardi has said that the cause of captain Davide Astori's death remains unclear.

The 31-year-old defender was found in his hotel room on Sunday morning after failing to turn up for breakfast with the rest of his teammates ahead of the game against Udinese.

Tributes have been pouring in for the 14-cap Italy international throughout the day, while all seven Serie A fixtures due to take place on Sunday - including Fiorentina's match with Udinese - have been postponed.

Providing an update on Sunday afternoon, Mastronardi stated that an autopsy is due to be carried out to determine the cause of death.

"There was a deadline to show up for breakfast, at 09.30," he told the assembled press. "He usually arrived first. When he didn't turn up before the deadline, they went to check on him and, unfortunately, they found him in his room.

"The cause [of death] is not yet known. A magistrate came and they have taken him to the hospital for an autopsy. I think it will be done by the end of the day, but I don't know the technical details.

"The last to see Davide was Marco Sportiello. The medical staff and Sportiello will be talked to. As far as I know, Astori was not under any special medical controls.

"The team will return to Florence by a charter flight at around 15.00. The family has been informed by the directors: the parents by telephone, while in Florence his partner has been visited by directors who were in the city. We have no other news at the moment."

Astori spent his entire playing career in Serie A, including a couple of years with Fiorentina upon joining from Cagliari.