During his interview with Il Corriere della Sera, Francesco Acerbi revealed why he had shown the middle finger to Roma fans during the latest Serie A meeting at the Stadio Olimpico: ‘They shouted ‘You must die.”

The Inter defender has explained why he showed the middle finger to Roma fans at the Stadio Olimpico after scoring a goal against the Giallorossi in a 4-2 win this past February. Acerbi later accepted a plea bargain and paid a €5,000 fine to avoid a ban.

“I believe that those who make mistakes must pay. As I did when I was fined for showing the middle finger to Roma fans who shouted ‘You must die.’ There were thousands of people shouting, I have recovered from cancer twice, and I am an AIRC testimonial,” Acerbi told Il Corriere della Sera.

AIRC is one of Italy’s most famous NGOs, raising funds for cancer research.

Acerbi was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 2013 and had a relapse a few months later, but has now fully recovered.

During the same interview with Il Corriere della Sera, Acerbi spoke about his acquittal in a racism case. He insisted that he was not racist but admitted that his career could have ended if he had been found guilty, so the sports judge’s decision was a massive relief for him and his family.

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