Fabio Quagliarella admits he was “devastated” to leave Napoli – “sometimes I play Sliding Doors and see myself with Marek Hamsik and Lorenzo Insigne…”
The Sampdoria striker grew up supporting the Partenopei, but was viewed as a traitor when he signed for Juventus in 2010, after just one season at San Paolo.
Fabio Quagliarella admits he was “devastated” to leave Napoli – “sometimes I play Sliding Doors and see myself with Marek Hamsik and Lorenzo Insigne…”
The Sampdoria striker grew up supporting the Partenopei, but was viewed as a traitor when he signed for Juventus in 2010, after just one season at San Paolo.
However, it later emerged that he had left the club because he was being stalked by a police officer, and he has now been forgiven by the Napoli fans.
“It started in Udine in 2008,” Quagliarella explained in an interview with Corriere della Sera.
“I got an envelope, inside were fake web pages saying I was going out with underage girls, that I took drugs, that I hung out with the Camorra.
“I thought it was the joke of a cretin. Then when I went to Napoli in 2009 it became a nightmare, my family and I even got death threats.
“The stalker, Raffaele Piccolo? He was a police officer who was first introduced to me by a friend, who later also became his victim.
“My phone had been bugged, Piccolo solved the problem and we stayed in touch.
“When I needed help, who better than a friend from the police? He assured me he’d solve everything. He told me not to talk to anyone, he pretended to take fingerprints on the letters.
“Then Napoli told me to go to a hotel. I didn’t understand, I was fine in my house with my family, I had no problems on the pitch.
“I understood later that the letters had also come to the club, who decided to intervene. I don’t blame them, in this story the only culprit is the stalker.
“As I child I went to San Paolo with my dad, I watched hours and hours of videotapes of [Diego] Maradona. That shirt was everything.
“The Neapolitans welcomed me like a king, I’ll still be hearing the songs with my grandchildren.
“Juventus? Not being able to explain the truth was devastating. On one side was the stalker, on the other side a city which was against me. When I returned to Castellamare I had to disguise myself.
“I understand, they were led by their hearts. It was hard to stay calm though, sometimes I was only playing with my body. My head was elsewhere.
“I dreamed of staying forever, becoming captain, winning… Sometimes I play Sliding Doors and see myself alongside beloved idols like Hamsik or Insigne.
“Could I still go to Napoli? I’m really happy at Samp, they’ve made me captain and the fans are magnificent, they understood the deep meaning behind my words about Napoli.
“Then at 34 it’s difficult. But with my people I feel like I’ve won a Scudetto.”