The mother of Roma striker Adriano has revealed her son was closed to quitting football and taking his own life altogether.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rosilda said the 28-year-old had had enough of the game and everything that is associated with it - with the death of his father causing him to seriously consider committing suicide.
"My son will make it I am sure. He will win his battle, and both he and Roma will get back up and surprise everyone," she said.
"At the time of his depression, which coincided with the death of his father, many people criticized him without knowing what he was going through, and this made it worse.
"No one understands the nature of badness unless you go through it, and even I didn't know how to help him.
"One day when he was still in Italy he called me and told me that he had had enough and that he wanted to quit football.
"He confessed to me that he wanted to commit suicide.
"I told him to react with his heart and if quitting football would make it better then so be it.
Rosilda then expressed her gratitude to Inter and Roma for helping her son through the difficult times and giving him a chance to revive both his life and career.
"Today though he is a new person with a head on his shoulders. He told me he is fine now. We are grateful to Inter and Massimo Moratti, who always treated him as a son.
"Thank God Roma have also helped to give him a new chance and he will not fail."
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