Francesco ACERBI

On May 6, 2025, Inter Milan beat Barcelona 4-3 after extra time in a thrilling Champions League semifinal in Milan, winning 7-6 on aggregate. Inter took an early lead, but Barcelona fought back and even went ahead late in the game. In stoppage time, Francesco Acerbi scored a dramatic equalizer, sending the match to extra time. Davide Frattesi then scored the winner, securing Inter’s place in the final.

Acerbi, the man who equalized the game in the 93rd minute, is not your typical football player. He beat cancer twice and bravely fought depression and alcoholism, before saving Inter’s Champions League dreams in a semi-final for the ages.

Before signing for Inter, Acerbi had a journeyman career, having played for 14 clubs in total.

However, Acerbi’s toughest challenges have come outside from football.

His father passed away in 2013, triggering a downward spiral in his mental health,  causing him to experience depression which led to him  relying on alcohol to handle the pain and suffering. 

To make things worse, Acerbi was diagnosed with testicular cancer the following year. 

A regular health check-up  showed unusual blood test results and he immediately underwent surgery to remove the tumour. 

But having returned to training and competitive action, he failed an anti-doping test. 

Acerbi denied taking any banned performance-enhancing drugs and it turned out that the irregular hormone levels were because the cancer had come back again. 

As a result, the defender had two months of chemotherapy at the start of 2014.

But Acerbi actually credits the two bouts of cancer for “saving” him from the depression and alcoholism.

He candidly explained in 2019: “After my father died, when I was playing for Milan, I hit rock bottom. It was as if I’d forgotten how to play, or why I was playing. I started drinking and, believe me, I’d drink anything. 

“It might seem like a terrible paradox, but the cancer saved me. I had something new to fight against, a limit to overcome. 

It was as if I got to start life all over again and saw the world in a way I’d completely forgotten. I stopped being scared. 

I was thinking to myself, ‘What will you do if it comes back again?’ ‘I’ll face it again,’ I replied.

Chemotherapy was like stepping into a parallel world, the entrance to which is closer than you could possibly think, so you never leave it again. It’s a world of pain and of courage.

“I think having that illness improved me as a person, cancelling out remorse and regret. I became an observer of my surroundings. I eliminated the superfluous, the negative, but also the illusions. I stopped dreaming big and started to focus on simple targets.

Interestingly, his goal against Barca was his very first career goal in European football in his 66th appearance across the Champions League and Europa League. 


2.VOCABULARY:

Paragraph 1

1.

For the ages

a.

To say that something is not true, to refuse to allow something, or to fail to admit something. 

2.

 handle

b.

 To experience something unpleasant and difficult

3. 

Journeyman

c.

 To manage a problem or situation

4.

 Underwent

d.

 A medical exam to test your general health

5.

Stint 

e.

 A professional athlete, who is competent but not exceptional, and has usually played for numerous teams or clubs throughout their career.

6.   

 Check-up

f. 

 A period of time spent doing a particular job or activity

7. 

  Denied

g.

 something that will be remembered or that has a lasting impact, often for a very long time.

Paragraph 2

8. 

Overcome

h.

 Reaching the lowest, most difficult point in one's life or situation, where things can't get any worse.

9.

Candidly

i. 

In a way that is honest and true, especially about something difficult or painful

10.

Hit rock bottom

 

 

j.

 Succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty

11.   

Remorse

k.

 Extra and unnessesary 

12. 

Superfluous

l. 

 Deep regret

 

 

3. SYNONYM MATCH A: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.     thrilling             

2.     aggregate

3.   tough

4.     relying

5.      enhancing

6.    illusion

7.       face (v.)

8.    paradox

9.   passed away

10.  downward spiral                                                                                              

a.       improve

b.      total

c.        exciting

d.       died

e.      hard/ strong/ difficult

f.        depending

g.    contradiction

h.    fantasy

i.    confront

j.   deterioration


4. Reading Comprehension – Q&A

  1. What did Acerbi do in the Champions League semi-final that made headlines?
     

  2. What life challenges has Acerbi faced off the pitch?  

  3. What happened during his time at Milan that deeply affected him?
  4. Can you think of someone who was in a very bad way and decided to transform their lives? How did that transformtation take place?
  5. Acerbi had many challenges that he had to overcome. Share with us something that was challenging for you that you were able to overcome. How did you achieve that? For example: I used to struggle with xxxxxx . I overcame it by etc....

5. Expressions & Idioms – Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks using the expressions and vocabulary below:

 / crowning moment /journeyman  / numb the pain / hit and miss /   candidly  / superfluous / parallel world/ hit rock bottom/ piece of cake /  cup of tea   / heydays/ overcome/ the lesser of two evils .

  1. After his father’s death, Acerbi __________ and lost his passion for football.

  2. Scoring the last-minute goal against Barca was his __________ in an already dramatic career.

  3. He used alcohol to __________ he was feeling.

  4. His career has had highs and lows. His career has been very                                             .

  5.  Chemotherapy made him feel like he had entered a __________.

  6. He finally found stability playing for Inter after years of moving through various clubs, where he had a  __________ career

  7. He learned to eliminate the __________ things in life after his illness.

  8.  He was able to  __________his fight against cancer.

  9. He is in his prime playing for Inter. He is curently in his                    playing for Inter. 

  10. In interviews, he spoke    _________  about his past, including his struggles with mental health, alcoholism and cancer.

  11. If somebody asks you who are you supporting in the Final between Inter Milan and Paris Saint German and you dislike the two options but you must choose one, then you would choose                                  

  12. If you are not a fan of football , then it is not your                           

  13. If you think learning to play football is very easy , then you think it is a                         

6. Discussion Prompts (Post-Reading)

  • How do you define personal success?

  • Do public figures have a responsibility to speak openly about mental health?

  • Can serious illness change a person for the better? Why or why not?

  • Should more emphasis be placed on emotional resilience in sports training?

  • What struggles have you been able to overcome in your life?

7. Role Play A : 

Student A: The New Immigrant
You moved to a new country and are trying to learn the language. You feel lonely and don’t understand many things.

  • Talk about what is hard for you.

  • How do you overcome this situation?

Student B: The Nervous Student
You are scared of speaking in public. You have a big presentation  next week and feel very stressed.

  • Describe how you feel and why it’s difficult.

  • How do you overcome this situation?

Student C: The Job Seeker
You have been trying to find a job for months without success. You feel frustrated and discouraged.

  • Explain your situation.

  • How do you overcome this situation?

Student D: The Shy Person
You find it very difficult to make friends. You want to be more social, but you are afraid to speak first.

  • Share how it affects your life.

  • How do you overcome this situation?

Student E: The Person Who Failed
You  failed an important test. You felt like giving up.

  • Talk about how it made you feel.

  • How do you overcome this situation?

💬 Useful Phrases

  • One of the hardest things for me is...

  • I’m really struggling with...

  • Have you tried...?

  • I know how you feel.

  • Don’t give up, because...

  • Maybe you could...

  • I went through something similar.

Role Play B: The Hardest Things to Overcome in Life

Instructions:

  1. Pair up with a classmate.

  2. Each person will receive a role card describing a life challenge.

  3. Take turns sharing your story and discussing how to overcome the situation.

  4. Use the discussion questions to guide your conversation.

  5. Practice empathy, listening, and offering advice.

Role Play C - Student A –   "Lost Job After 10 Years"

You worked at the same company for 10 years, and you were recently laid off. You feel lost, anxious, and unsure of your skills. You're afraid to start over and don’t know what to do next.

Your Goals:

  • Explain how you’re feeling.

  • Say what you miss most about your old job.

  • Discuss possible options for your future (e.g., training, freelance work).

  • Ask for advice and emotional support.

Student B – Role Card: "Struggling with Loneliness in a New City"

You moved to a new city for university/work, but you haven’t made any friends. You feel lonely and disconnected. You spend most of your time alone and feel homesick.

Your Goals:

  • Share your current emotional state.

  • Talk about what you miss from home.

  • Say what you've tried to make friends (or haven’t tried).

  • Ask for ideas to improve your situation.

Discussion Questions (for both students):

  • Why do you think this challenge is so hard to overcome?

  • What advice would you give your partner?

  • Have you ever gone through a similar experience?

  • Do you think asking for help is easy or difficult in this situation?

  • What strengths does your partner have to overcome this?

Optional Role Cards (for larger groups):

  • Student C: “Caring for a Sick Parent While Working Full Time”

  • Student D: “Recovering from a Breakup After a Long Relationship”

  • Student E: “Returning to Normal Life After Battling Depression”

  • Student F: “Moving to Another Country and Struggling with the Language”

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