SEVERAL thousand mourners gathered yesterday outside the Armando Picchi stadium to pay tribute to Piermario Morosini, the Livorno midfielder who collapsing and died on the pitch during his team's Serie B game at Pescara on Saturday.

Supporters left scarves and flowers outside the stadium, where a banner read: "You fought until the end, goodbye great Moro." Livorno, the club Morosini had joined on loan in January from Serie A side Udinese, issued a statement thanking everyone for the overwhelming support they have received.

"The family, the girlfriend of Piermario and AS Livorno Calcio wants to thank all of the people that in this time of pain have remembered a great athlete and a special person," it read.

Ernesto Randazzo, the player's agent, was still coming to terms with the tragic loss of the 25-year-old.

"I knew him for 13 years," he said. "His aim was to make his stay at Livorno permanent. He had always been in very good condition and proof of that was all the medical check-ups he had undergone with all of the teams he had played for."

Morosini moved to Udinese in 2005 from Atalanta's youth academy before embarking on a series of loan spells elsewhere – first at Bologna, then Reggina, Padova, Vicenza and finally Livorno.

He made 18 appearances for Italy's under-21s.

Udinese have confirmed they will honour his memory by providing financial aid to the player's disabled sister.

An autopsy will be carried out today to ascertain whether Morosini's death was linked to a problem with the brain or the heart.

Local authorities have also announced that an inquiry into the death will be opened after a parked car belonging to traffic police had initially blocked the ambulance's path into the stadium.