Sampdoria defender attacked and robbed in Ibiza

Sampdoria defender Cristiano Piccini revealed that he was attacked and robbed by two Italian compatriots while on holiday in Ibiza this week.

The 31-year-old centre-back joined Andrea Pirlo’s side on a free transfer in January after leaving German club FC Magdeburg and signed a six-month contract in Liguria. He made 11 appearances for Sampdoria but missed a number of games due to a thigh injury.

Sampdoria have struggled to perform at their best in Serie B this season under Pirlo, falling at the first hurdle in the play-offs when they lost 2-0 to City Group-backed Palermo last month. The former Juventus and Milan midfielder is expected to remain at the helm for the upcoming 2024/25 season.

Sampdoria’s Piccini robbed

On his Instagram page, Piccini reported on his experiences during a robbery and assault on Ibiza, accused two unnamed Italians of committing the violent crime and warned his fans against visiting the island.

“Hello everyone, I am writing to you to prevent this from happening to you and to prevent what happened to me today from happening to you. I was walking in the Marina di Botafoch in front of the Ibiza Gran Hotel when at 3.15pm I was attacked by two people, Italians. From their accents I am sure they were Neapolitans.

“They attacked me from behind and stole my watch. I reacted quickly and managed to get to the thief who was just getting on the motorcycle. His ‘friend’ tried to run over my wife and then he tried to run me over to make me let go of his partner.

“I couldn’t get my watch back. The most important thing is that my family and I are safe and sound and we don’t have a scratch.”

“But what annoys me most is that this island, which is my home, is full of such villains who act without control and scruples in every situation and who don’t care if you are with children or not. Not to mention the people who witnessed the theft and didn’t bother to help.

“However, if you plan to come to Ibiza, be careful what you wear. Nowadays we can’t feel comfortable anywhere.”

In a later statement, Sampdoria’s defender apologized for accusing the two thieves of being from Naples.

“I apologize to the Neapolitans for bringing up the subject. It was not my intention to lump everyone together. I have many Neapolitan friends and they are a people I love, full of respectable and generous people. My intention with the stories so far is to prevent such incidents.”