Francesco Acerbi Excluded from the National Team Following Racial Offense Incident

Francesco Acerbi will not join the Italian national team for the tour in the USA, where two friendly matches are scheduled. The decision to exclude the Inter defender from the group came after the incident that saw him as a protagonist yesterday in Inter-Napoli with Juan Jesus, who reported a racial offense before receiving an apology. Acerbi, as informed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), clarified in the Rome camp to the Coach, Luciano Spalletti, and teammates that he had no discriminatory intent, but it was decided not to keep him "for the necessary tranquility of the national team and the player himself." Acerbi leaves the camp today. Instead of Acerbi, Roma's defender Gianluca Mancini, who was already on the list of pre-selected players, has been called up. The note released by the FIGC reports that "the player Francesco Acerbi, who arrived this morning at the National Team camp in Rome, explained to coach Luciano Spalletti and his teammates, as foreseen by the internal policy of Club Italia, his version of the alleged racist expression reported by player Juan Jesus during the Inter-Napoli match. From the account of the Inter defender, pending the reconstruction of what happened in respect of the autonomy of sports justice - the note continues - it emerged that there was no defamatory, denigratory, or racist intent on his part. However, it was agreed to exclude Acerbi from the list of players called up for the next two friendlies scheduled in the United States, to ensure the necessary tranquility for the National Team and the player himself, who will return to his club today." The Napoli club has just published a tweet from its official account against racism. "From Napoli to the world, shout it out loud: no to racism," reads the tweet that has a video with Napoli players framed in close-up saying phrases in their language against racism. The tweet was published the day after the word "negro" was allegedly said by Inter defender Acerbi to the blue defender Juan Jesus yesterday during Inter-Napoli. Regarding this case, the Inter club has released a statement: "FC Internazionale takes note of the statement released by the FIGC in relation to the events that involved Francesco Acerbi during last night's match with Napoli, and the fact that the FIGC and Acerbi have agreed on the player's non-participation in the two friendlies of the national team. FC Internazionale reserves a meeting with its player as soon as possible to shed light on the exact dynamics of what happened last night."