Tears flow as Quagliarella says goodbye Samp
Fabio Quagliarella waved goodbye amid emotional scenes as Serie B bound Sampdoria drew 2-2 against Sassuolo in its final home game of the season.
The 40-year-old played 85 minutes of the match and was given a standing ovation at Luigi Ferraris Stadium by home and away fans alike as he broke down in tears on his way to the bench, applauding all four stands on his way off the pitch.
Quagliarella had a part in Sampdoria's equaliser, which came courtesy of Sassuolo's Martin Erlic amid some defensive chaos.
It was Sampdoria that had scored first in what was a frantic three-minute spell early in the first half. Manolo Gabbiadini pounced as Sassuolo tried to play out from the back, striking in the eighth minute.
But Sassuolo was level a minute later when Domenico Berardi scored before Matheus Henrique made it 2-1 two minutes after that as onlookers struggled to keep up.
Things calmed down thereafter as both teams settled, and it wasn't until the 78th minute that the equaliser eventually came for the hosts, with Quagliarella at the centre of it.
Quagliarella started his senior career at Torino in 1999, having signed as a youth player there in 1997. He first signed for Sampdoria in 2006, but spent just a year at the club before spells at Udinese, Napoli, Juventus and Torino again ahead of a return to Samp in 2016, where he has remained since.
He earned 28 caps for Italy, making his debut in 2007, and has played made than 500 senior appearances in Serie A.
