A bulky name.

The Italian club Lazio Rome signed his first professional contract to Romano Floriani Mussolini, a young 18-year-old right-back, great-grandson of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

This signature spills a lot of ink while part of the club's supporters are regularly guilty of racist or anti-Semitic provocations.

In the daily La Repubblica, his coach at Lazio, Mauro Bianchessi, however, portrays a calm and trouble-free boy.

"He's a humble boy, who never complained. I like him very much. He's not ready yet (to play for the pros), but he's promising. As for his name painful to bear, I've never spoken to his parents, and the only thing that interests me is the way he plays. "

This weekend, Romano Mussolini made his debut for the Lazio primavera in the lost game against the Juve primavera.



The great grandson of Duce, born in 2003, evolves to the position of right side.

pic.twitter.com/yfDr2NfRLS

- FrSerieA (@FrSerieA) February 3, 2021

"Me, I only want to be judged for the way I play football, and not for my name", claims Romano Floriani Mussolini, questioned by Radio Radiosei.

A club with sultry supporters

Because it concerns SS Lazio (Società Sportiva Lazio), of which some ultras are assumed fascists, nostalgic for the "Duce" with a pronounced taste for provocations of all kinds.

Last summer, his ultras welcomed with a dubious banner the Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina, known for his support for the Spanish far-right movement Vox.

“Roman greetings, Comrade Reina!” Read the banner unfurled for Pepe Reina, the Roman greeting being the gesture of the arm associated with the fascist movement.

#Roma 2020 ora pic.twitter.com/H2kUOFQ3CZ

- Gianni Riotta (@riotta) August 29, 2020

In 2018, Lazio was fined 50,000 euros by the Italian Football Federation because its supporters littered the field with stickers bearing the effigy of Anne Franck wearing a jersey of the rival of AS Roma.

In 2005, striker Paulo Di Canio caused a scandal by making fascist salutes several times in matches against AS Roma, Livorno and Juventus Turin.

He then received the support of Alessandra Mussolini, MEP.

"How this Roman greeting pleases me," said the one who is none other than the mother of the young recruit from Lazio.

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