Soccer-Acerbi makes Serie A comeback nine months after cancer relapse

MILAN, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Sassuolo midfielder Francesco Acerbi made an emotional comeback to Serie A on Sunday, just over nine months after being diagnosed with testicular cancer for a second time. The 26-year-old played the full 90 minutes in the goalless draw against Sampdoria, his first match since Dec. 8. "It's been wonderful and emotional, even though I felt cramp after about 70 minutes, although I didn't ask to come off," he told Italian media. "I'd have been happier if we had taken the three points." Acerbi was first treated for testicular cancer one year ago when he had a tumour removed. He played regularly during the early stages of last season until the problem was found to have returned when he failed a doping test following a match at the start of December. Acerbi was given a preliminary doping ban but this was reversed after the Italian Olympic Committee accepted that the positive test was due to traces of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is produced by some cancerous tumours. (Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne, editing by Pritha Sarkar)