Opponents ‘fear’ Renzi on soccer pitch

P(ANSA) – Florence, April 22 – Premier Matteo Renzi’s successor at Florence city hall quipped Tuesday that opponents are “afraid” to meet his former boss at Italy’s celebrity charity soccer match, the Partita Del Cuore (Game of the Heart), next month.BRThey fear they will be beaten by the popular leader, said Dario Nardella, deputy-mayor of Florence who has been filling in as mayor since Renzi resigned in February to become the country’s premier.BRBoth men represent the centre-left Democratic Party (PD). Controversy erupted around rumours that Renzi may participate in the annual match, sponsored by public broadcaster RAI and scheduled for May 19.BRRoberto Fico, a parliamentarian with the maverick 5-Star Movement (M5S) and chairman of a RAI oversight commission, said the match should not be open to politicians during an election campaign period ahead of European parliament elections scheduled for May 25 in Italy.BRThe PD and M5S are both campaigning hard for the EP elections.BROthers say that because this is a charity event, political allegiances should not matter.BRNardella said he was ready to play himself in the match but added that he is a “very poor player”.BR/P
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