Lazio centre-back and one-time party animal believes
cancer saved his life and is ready to play in his first Euros aged 33
This article is part of the Guardian’s Euro 2020 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 24 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.
Francesco Acerbi had to quit playing for Sassuolo and started chemo to fight testicular cancer in early 2014. He had a strange routine. Chemo in the morning while watching TV (his favourite program being House, the series with Hugh Laurie), some rest in the afternoon, clubbing at night, sometimes till 7 am. Definitely not a Cristiano Ronaldo-style approach to life.