Former Sampdoria captain Daniele Gastaldello spoke of his pride and emotions after leaving the club where he spent almost eight years at for Bologna in Serie B.
The 31-year-old said that he was sad to be leaving his teammates halfway through the season but that he was compelled to make the decision to join the Rossoblu for the benefit of his family.
“Today is my last day in the Blucerchiata shirt, tomorrow I will be at Bologna,” said Gastaldello at his farewell press conference.
“It was a very difficult decision to make, but my children are my priority.”
“I will be joining an important club with an ambitious project: they want to achieve great things but above all I will be closer to my home which is what I wanted.
“I am sorry to leave my teammates halfway through the season, I’m not used to leaving things half-finished but I’m very close to my family and at this moment my children had to be my priority.
“When I leave Bogliasco [the Sampdoria training ground,] I will do so with my head held high, I gave my all for the club, the team and my teammates but never for myself.
“The city of Genoa and Sampdoria will always remain in my heart, my eight years here will not be forgotten.
“When I arrived here I was a youngster that nobody knew and now I leave as a captain.”
Gastaldello also revealed what his favourite moments were during his time at Sampdoria.
“I have two favourite games: the game against Napoli for Champions League qualification which was beautiful at the end of an exceptional season.”
“But personally I think the two games against Varese for promotion back to Serie A were really special.
“They were a real test of our group of players at the end of an extraordinary season.”
Gastaldello finished his speech by insisting that he is not leaving Samp in search of more playing time.
“After eight years I will really miss Doria, the everyday things and it will be difficult to adjust.”
“However my time with Sampdoria is over, now I will look to do my best for Bologna as I did here.
“That I was spending more time on the bench had nothing to do with my decision.
“I lived through a season in the Champions League and one of relegation.
“It would be wrong for one decision to ruin so many good things about my time here, this decision will not ruin all the good things about Sampdoria.
“It goes without saying that this was my decision, not the coach’s, the club’s or anybody else’s.
“It’s like the decision I made many years ago to come here instead of Genoa, a correct decision.”
