Manolo Gabbiadini is sure he’ll experience “strong emotions” against his old club Napoli today and praised Sampdoria teammate Fabio Quagliarella.
It kicks off at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“This meeting with Napoli means a lot to me and there will be strong emotions, because I was here for two years, scored many goals here and we fought for something important together,” Gabbiadini told the Lega Serie A YouTube channel.
Manolo Gabbiadini is sure he’ll experience “strong emotions” against his old club Napoli today and praised Sampdoria teammate Fabio Quagliarella.
It kicks off at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“This meeting with Napoli means a lot to me and there will be strong emotions, because I was here for two years, scored many goals here and we fought for something important together,” Gabbiadini told the Lega Serie A YouTube channel.
“When I think of the San Paolo, I remember when I’d score a goal and you could hear this extraordinary explosion of noise. It’s something I will never forget.
“It won’t be an easy game for Samp, but I have faith in this team. If Sampdoria play our style of football, we can hurt anyone. I expect it to be entertaining for the neutral too, because both sides focus on quality and have strong finishers like Arkadiusz Milik and Fabio Quagliarella.”
If Gabbiadini is making an emotional return to the Stadio San Paolo, it’s nothing compared to Quagliarella, who is up against his hometown club and has the chance to set a new all-time record by scoring in 12 consecutive Serie A games.
“Fabio is the complete striker, because he can do everything well. He combines with teammates outside the penalty area, is deadly inside the box and can provide assists as well as score goals. He’s a real hitman and I am happy to be his teammate.”
Gabbiadini returned to Sampdoria in the January transfer window after a spell in England with Southampton, but had already played for the Blucerchiati from 2013 to 2015.
“I found a Samp side that plays as a collective, not focusing on individuals, but always thinking as a team. Most of the players here already know the system and the football principles the Coach wants to enact, so we must each know what to do at any moment of the match.
“There isn’t much time for me to learn, so I’ve got to work extra hard to ensure I’ve got all of it in my mind.”