Perrotta - and his son - overwhelmed by Curva Sud reception

The 2006 World Cup winner, who represented the Giallorossi from 2004 to 2013, took to social media to express his gratitude to fans for the welcome he received - as they chanted his name and applauded him as he toured the ground.

"Some things cannot be explained in words," Perrotta said, "and what happened today, will forever stay with me in my heart. Thank you to everyone!"

Perrotta was not the only one overwhelmed by the reception, as he subsequently shared photos that showed his teenage son, Francesco, getting emotional at seeing his father get such adulation.

"Your emotion soothes some of the regret I feel at not always having been there for you," Perrotta wrote.

In a similar post, his son added a photo with a caption that broadly translates as: "So much meaning, in such a small moment."