THE LEGEND OF ACERBI

It's a gooaall! The Inter Milan side of things yelled out, as in the dying minutes of that Champions league semi-final against Barcelona, an unexpected goal came from an unexpected player, levelling the score, three apiece it became. The player is a defender and the goal didn't come via a corner kick, so what was the defender doing popping up in the opponents box?

Welcome to the legend of Franseco Acerbi, he is that defender.

Fist off, here's what Real Madrid's legend, Toni Kroos said about him after this match

source

I'm sure we can take Toni Kroos' word for it, Acerbi is such a warrior.

He is a man of great challenges, who faced cancer, not once but twice(and a doping ban in between) and triumphed.

Before, this he was signed by AC Milan at a time the great Nesta left, but the coach Massimilano Allegri preferred others and got rid of him.

From Milan he joined newly promoted Suassolo, in 2013 where he faced the health and other challenges written above. However, he later became pivotal to Suassolo firmly establishing themselves in the Serie A.

His fine form in Suassolo earned him a national team call-up for the first time and he lifted the Euro trophy with the Italian national team in 2020.

His fine form in Suassolo attracted a bigger club – Lazio– and in 2018 he hopped into the club. At the Rome club, he would come close to setting the league's consecutive appearances streak, only falling short by just 13 games. Javier Zanetti's held the record of 162 games.

At Lazio, Acerbi would win the 2018/19 Coppa Italia and the 2019 Supercoppa Italiana. Impressive!

Then Inter Milan came calling and in 2022 he made the move, first on loan and then on a €4 million permanent move, a cheap squad option being 34 then, people thinking he was past his prime. Yet he was only just getting started, as he would prove a critical component of a Serie A title, a Coppa Italia title, two Supercopas, and a Champions League final appearance in 2023.

This warrior who apparently knows no limits proved once again that he is a cornerstone of the Nerazzurri in probably their toughest moment this season( as in the first paragraph). In the 93rd minute, with immense courage, he abandoned his position as a center-back to become a striker, scoring a stunning goal that even top forwards would envy—reviving Inter’s hopes and carrying them into extra time. Such a decisive goal, Inter was virtually down and out by that time.

Inter Milan went on to win the match at extra time and that's Acerbi to make another Champions league final, at an age most of his peers can only dream of.

Yes. This is Franseco Acerbi, a lion heart, a heart that never breaks and a mind that never surrenders. 🇮🇹

What a footballing legend