Acerbi on EURO 2020, 5-0 Champions League final loss and ‘stupid’ Inter teammates

Francesco Acerbi has shared his thoughts on Italy’s victory at EUO 2020, Inter’s 5-0 loss against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, and his favourite teammates, whom he affectionately refers to as ‘stupid’. 

The Nerazzurri defender spoke at a publicity event for his recently-released book ‘io guerrero’ in the city of Gallarate on Tuesday. 

The Inter veteran has had a fascinating time of it over the last 10 years: From battling testicular cancer in 2014, to becoming a European champion with Italy in 2021, to then winning his first Serie A title at the age of 36, Acerbi has seen it all. 

“The disease changed me, but it has made me a better athlete,” Acerbi said at the event on Tuesday. “Before, I hadn’t committed myself like a professional athlete, but then something clicked in my head to reclaim everything I’d left on the street before the illness.” 

A lot of Acerbi’s talk focused on last season’s 5-0 defeat by PSG in the Champions League final in Munich. “After that game, we told ourselves that we couldn’t do anything,” Acerbi said. 

“They were too strong, and we were too tired. We have to look at the glass being half full. We reached the final by beating some very strong teams along the way.” 

He also spoke of the EURO 2020 campaign, which saw Italy beat England in the final at Wembley to claim the nation’s first major title since the 2006 World Cup. 

“(Roberto) Mancini was good at getting us to be cal, without putting too much pressure on us during the games. (Gianluca) Vialli was a different guy to all the others. When he spoke, you couldn’t help but listen.” 

Acerbi also spoke about his ‘favourite’ teammates at club level, whom he referred to as ‘stupid’ in their personalities. “(Alessandro) Bastoni, (Nicolo) Barella and (Federico) Dimarco are really stupid, in a good way of course. They’re some of the funniest guys I’ve ever met, but they know how to apply themselves seriously when it comes to hard work.”