In a heartwarming tale of resilience, Italian center-back Francesco Acerbi, 37, scored a stoppage-time equalizer against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg, sending the tie to extra time and eventually securing Inter Milan's qualification with a 7-6 aggregate win. Acerbi, who has battled alcohol and depression following the death of his father, twice overcome testicular cancer, and climbed the footballing pyramid as a veteran, found the back of the net with a powerful header in the 93rd minute. Inter manager Simone Inzaghi praised Acerbi's intuition, while teammate Carlos Augusto hailed his spirit, saying, "He has a great story off the pitch too, Ace simply never gives up."
Acerbi, born in Vizzolo Predabissi near San Siro, began his career in Serie C before moving to Reggina, Genoa, and Chievo, where he made his Serie A debut. After a brief stint with AC Milan, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2013 but fought back, returning to the field the following season and finding stability with Sassuolo. He moved to Lazio in 2018, where Inzaghi recruited him for Inter in 2022.
With his iconic lion tattoos and a never-say-die attitude, Acerbi has defied the odds throughout his career, offering a powerful message of perseverance and courage. As he prepares for the Champions League final against City in Munich, Acerbi remains focused, stating, "From a personal and sporting point of view, I don't know if a win in Munich would be the closing of a circle, but I'm not the type of person who stops after a Champions League final."
Source: BBC Sports Football
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