Rugged Acerbi the symbol of Inter's bid to make history, Inzaghi eyeing glory

Francesco Acerbi could crown his long, turbulent career with the biggest prize in club football after bouncing back from cancer, depression and alcoholism to play a key part in Inter Milan's charge to the Champions League final.

The Italy international's stoppage-time equaliser was probably the defining moment in Inter's barely believable semifinal triumph over Barcelona, as the oldest player in an old team.

A 37-year-old centre-back, Acerbi had to be the most surprising goalscorer in a tie for the ages, finding himself in the opposition penalty area to smash in his first ever Champions League goal just as the game looked up for Inter.

Everything about his goal embodied the fighting spirit Inter have shown in their two classic wins over Barca and, in the previous round, Bayern Munich.

Acerbi hammered home Denzel Dumfries' low cross with his unfavoured right foot which was wearing a boot with a hole in it, before stripping off to reveal a rangy body covered with tattoos.

The somewhat rustic image contrasted with slick, youthful Barca led by teenage phenomenon Lamine Yamal.

"It was a really special moment. I could feel that something changed when the ball hit the net," said Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu on Monday.

"It was the moment that we realised that we could win the match."

Despite his age, Acerbi is Simone Inzaghi's first choice in the heart of Inter's three-man central defence and will start against paris Saint-Germain in Munich on Saturday.

Acerbi has come through some tough times both on the field and off it, battling depression following the death of his father while he was briefly at AC Milan over a decade ago, and then two bouts of testicular cancer, which he believes were the catalyst for him to turn his life around.

'ROCK BOTTOM'

"After my dad died I crashed and hit rock bottom. I was at Milan and nothing stimulated me. I didn't even know how to play anymore," he said in 2019.

"I started drinking, I drank everything. Cancer saved me. I had something to fight against again, something to overcome.

"I asked myself, 'what do you do if it comes back?' and I decided that I would face it again. I saw things clearly and I know that from one day to the next, everything could change.

"I'd even say that the disease improved me... I stopped dreaming, I prefer now to set myself achievable goals."

One of those targets was the Italy team, which he reached at the age of 31 when – after couple of friendly appearances earlier in his career – he played his first official Azzurri match against Finland in September 2019, netting his one and only internation goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina two months later.

Acerbi has been rewarded for his memorable season by a recall to the Italy set-up for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Moldova, a first call-up since March last year.

But he was forced to leave his last Azzurri training camp after allegations that he racially abused Juan Jesus during a highly-charged match between Inter and Napoli.

Acerbi was spared punishment by the Italian football federation (FIGC) due a lack of evidence, the disciplinary authorities saying that "the discriminatory content... seems to have been perceived only by the offended player".

Napoli were so outraged at the decision that they pulled out of the FIGC's "purely cosmetic" anti-racism initiatives, while Jesus felt "bitter" about the decision which saved Acerbi from a 10-match ban that would have ended his season right before Euro 2024.

Acerbi ended up missing the Euros with injury, and hamstring problems dogged him during the first half of this season, but he has come roaring back and could yet lead Inter to an era-defining triumph.

INZAGHI EYEING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GLORY AND LEGEND STATUS

Simone Inzaghi is on the verge of becoming a true Inter Milan great as he leads his team to the Champions League final with another chance for an era-defining triumph to make up for the pain of conceding the Serie A title to Napoli.

Inter have become one of Europe's top teams under Inzaghi and reaching the final of the continent's leading club competition for the second time in three seasons is a testament to the impressive job he has done since taking charge in 2021.

The 48-year-old has had to navigate off-field turbulence and serious financial problems which have left Inter with a transfer budget which is a fraction of the what nouveau riche clubs like Saturday's opponents Paris Saint-Germain have at their disposal.

But he will contest this weekend's showdown with Qatari-backed PSG with potentially a better chance of winning the Champions League than he did in Istanbul in 2023, when Inter were narrowly beaten by possibly Pep Guardiola's best-ever Manchester City team.

Last season's league title, the first of Inzaghi's coaching career, was immediately followed by an enforced takeover by US investment firm Oaktree after previous owners, China's Suning, failed to repay a debt worth around 395 million euros ($448 million).

And there was little in the way of summer investment for an ageing team which features veterans like 37-year-old Francesco Acerbi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is one year Acerbi's junior.

Piotr Zielinski and Mehdi Taremi were both free transfers, second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez cost around €13 million, and January signing Nicola Zalewski came on loan from Roma.

None of those four have become first picks for Inzaghi with Taremi netting twice all season, both goals being late penalties in 4-0 wins over Red Star Belgrade and Lecce.

The lack of quality beyond the first XI, particularly in attack, and a gruelling Champions League campaign has taken its toll on Inter.

The biggest prize in club football would sit pride of place among the honours already won by Inzaghi at Inter – one Serie A title, three Italian Cups and three Italian Super Cups.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Inzaghi had a lower-key playing career than his elder sibling Filippo, who was a prolific goalscorer for AC Milan and Juventus, a two-time European champion and World Cup winner.

The younger Inzaghi, also a striker, played most of his career for Lazio, where he is loved by fans despite a modest goal record and a single league title, won in 2000.

However in the managerial game it is Simone who is leading the way, at the helm of one of Europe's traditional powerhouses while Filippo will lead Pisa in their first Serie A campaign since the 1990-91 season after getting the Tuscan club promoted this term.

Simone Inzaghi began his senior coaching career at Lazio nine years ago after working his way up through the youth ranks and immediately made an impact, taking the Roman club back into Europe and losing the Italian Cup final to all-conquering Juventus.

Lazio are frequently overshadowed by crosstown rivals Roma and hampered by a budget which is dwarfed by Italy's big three of Juve, Inter and Milan, who themselves are relative paupers on the continent.

The 2019 Italian Cup, two Super Cups – both won against Juve – and Champions League qualification in 2020 might not sound like much but it was enough to attract cash-strapped Inter following the departure of Serie A title winner Antonio Conte.

Inzaghi arrived at Inter with the club about to go into full-blown crisis mode following Conte's exit and the sales of the two stars of that Scudetto-winning campaign – Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, the latter of whom will line up against Inter for PSG.

However, used to doing more with less at Lazio and in stark contrast to Conte, he folded in cheap replacements for the departing stars rather than complain about having them sold out from under him.

It is something Inzaghi has made a habit of at Inter where he has created a team spirit which could yet give him the biggest prize of all.