FLORENCE, ITALY – Pope Francis meets Italian Cup finalists before Saturday match. Pope says soccer players have social responsibility.
The pontiff, an avid soccer fan and card-carrying supporter of Buenos Aires club San Lorenzo in his homeland of Argentina, spoke as he met players from the Fiorentina and Napoli clubs at the Vatican. The pair will meet in soccer’s Italian Cup final on Saturday, May 3rd, 2014, h. 9 pm.
“Football in Italy, as in Argentina and other countries, is a social fact, and requires social responsibility, by footballers on the field and off the field, and by national and local leaders”, said Francis.
For the final match, Fiorentina received some welcome news when striker Giuseppe Rossi was given the medical all-clear to be selected for Vincenzo Montella’s squad having recovered from a latest knee injury.
However Montella has injury doubts over German striker Mario Gomez, who is also recovering from a slight knock to his knee, as well as number one goalkeeper Neto, who has suffered a finger injury.
Forwards Borja Valero (knee) and Gonzalo Rodriguez (tonsilitis) are also in a race against time to be fit for Saturday when 28,000 Fiorentina fans are set to descend on the Olympic Stadium.
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