Albertini and Peretti attend the opening ceremony for schools in Villafranca

Villafranca di Verona – The traditional opening ceremony for the schools of Villafranca di Verona was held this morning, an annual event through which the local authorities officially mark the start of the new school year.

Held in the evocative setting of Villafranca's Scaligero Castle, the event was attended by three sporting representatives from the Verona area, two of whom are Gialloblù athletes: Rachele Peretti, the number 10 and captain of Hellas Verona Women, and Francesco Albertini, vice-captain of Hellas Verona Primavera. Also in attendance was Martina Rosignoli, captain of Ecodem Alpo Basket from Villafranca.

On the occasion, the two Gialloblù players addressed those in attendance before focusing in particular on the importance of both their academic and sporting journeys, speaking to the 1,500 students present.

Rachele Peretti: “It is a pleasure to be here with you today. How many of you here today want to be a hero or a heroine and have superpowers? School gives you one power, which is to train your mind. Sport gives you another, which is to train your muscles. You need to train both, use them together to become better and stronger people in the future. Both school and sport give us rules, teach us how to be around other people and help us understand how the world and life work. My advice to you is to study hard and train hard, because school and sport give us intelligence and good health. I wish you all a happy school year”.

Francesco Albertini: “I have just finished my final exams and graduated from a sports-focused scientific high school. I wanted to tell you never to leave school behind, because with commitment and passion, it is possible to pursue both school and sport at the same time. School is fundamental and, personally, it has helped me a great deal, including on the pitch. I have learned and taken a great deal with me from my time at school, but I have also built relationships over the years thanks to it. That is why it is important not to neglect either sport or school, and never to miss training sessions, tests or oral exams, because it is possible to do both side by side. I wish you all a happy school year, full of joy and success”.