Quagliarella on his return to Samp: “It feels as if I never left at all”

Time stands still for the legends of the game.

Fabio Quagliarella continues to spark adoration from the Blucerchiati faithful, just as he did back in that magical 2006/07 season.

“It feels as if I hadn’t left at all,” Quagliarella revealed in an interview to Italian television channel Mediaset Premium. “The bonds with my team-mates (even if the faces have changed), the club and the fans are exactly the same. It’s the same with the atmosphere about the place and the love from the people.

“This has really inspired me to do well and now I’m determined to wrap up the season in the best possible way.”

Quaglia kicked things off with a word on Samp’s Serie A status.

“We can’t start thinking that we’re safe, even if we’ve climbed away from the relegation zone. The season got incredibly complicated at a certain point, but we did well to pull ourselves out of that mess and we have to carry on in this spirit.”

You’re performing at a really high level at the moment, but your move to Sampdoria raised a few eyebrows in some quarters.

“It wasn’t easy coming in to replace Eder because he had done so well and scored in bucket-loads, leaving a great impression. However, I got my head down straight away and things worked out well.”

You have a real penchant for scoring wonder-goals.

“I like to be unpredictable, that’s why I take on shots from way out. I get on really well with my team-mates, there’s great team-spirit and fantastic quality in this squad.

“Vincenzo Montella had his eyes on me for a while and all I’m doing is repaying his faith in me.”

What do you think about the change at AC Milan, with Cristian Brocchi replacing Sinisa Mihajlovic at the helm?

“I’m sad about Mihajlovic but also curious to see what happens with Brocchi. Everyone speaks well of him and it’s not an accident he’s been given the top job, just as it’s not by chance that Gianluigi Donnarumma – from Castellammare di Stabia like me – is in the first team. I hope I get the chance to score against him.”

Finally, are you hoping your goals this season might lead to an Italy call-up for the Euros?

“My target is to hit double figures; I know Conte well from my time at Juventus and I’m aware he’s targeting youth but I still harbour some hope of boarding the plane to France.”