Francesco Acerbi left Italy’s training camp before two friendlies in the United States amid reports of an investigation into alleged racial abuse directed at Napoli defender Juan Jesus. Italy’s Football Federation (FIGC) stated that Inter Milan’s Acerbi had provided his account of the incident to his Azzurri teammates and coach Luciano Spalletti regarding the purported racist remark.
According to the FIGC, Acerbi expressed that he had no intention of being defamatory, denigratory, or racist. However, he will be excluded from the 28-man squad for the upcoming matches against Venezuela and Ecuador as Italy prepares for the European championship defense.
Gianluca Mancini of Roma will step in to replace Acerbi. Acerbi is expected to be questioned by the FIGC’s disciplinary authorities following Juan Jesus’ claim of racial insult during Inter’s recent match against Napoli. Jesus, from Brazil, was seen indicating to the referee about the alleged racial insult, mentioning that Acerbi called him a “negro.” After the game, Jesus downplayed the incident, stating that Acerbi had “crossed a line,” without elaborating on the insult, and mentioned that they had resolved the issue amicably.
“He apologized because he realized he had crossed a line… what happens during the game, stays on the field,” Jesus stated to DAZN. On Instagram, Jesus hinted at the incident again, stating, “I defended my team and my rights in the way I believed was appropriate.” Acerbi’s agent, Federico Pastorello, refuted the allegations of racial abuse in an interview with Radio Sportiva, stating, “According to Acerbi, there was a disagreement on the field, but no racist language was used. Just to clarify, the word ‘negro’ was not uttered.”
Serie A informed AFP that the routine report from the division’s “sporting judge” Gerardo Mastrandrea will be issued on Tuesday. This report, typically released the day after each round of matches, is expected to determine whether Acerbi will face an investigation regarding the incident.
If found guilty of racially abusing Jesus, Acerbi could face a ban of at least 10 matches, with the possibility of a longer suspension at the discretion of the authorities. Such a verdict would prematurely end his season with Inter, who are on track to secure their 20th league title. Moreover, any imposed ban could potentially extend globally, given the proximity of the Euros, commencing on June 14. Inter issued a concise statement, indicating their intention to meet with the player promptly to clarify the precise details of the situation.
