Francesco Flachi: Ex-Sampdoria striker makes return at 46 after 12-year drugs ban

When former Fiorentina and Sampdoria striker Francesco Flachi was handed a 12-year ban from football in January 2010 at the age of 34, most understandably believed it would spell the end of his playing days.

The frontman was hit with the 144-month sanction after testing positive for cocaine use for the second time in three years by the Italian Football Federation.

Flachi racked up more than 100 Serie A appearances in his career – and was even called up to the Italy squad for a 2004 friendly against Iceland – although he never made it on to the pitch.

The player’s spectacular fall from grace began in January 2007 when a first test failure for the drug cost Flachi his contract with Sampdoria.

A two-year suspension followed, after which the striker had a short stint with Empoli, before moving on to fellow second-tier side Brescia.

It was while at Brescia that Flachi relapsed. His dozen-year suspension was the punishment for being found with cocaine in his system once again.

Nobody understood better than the man himself that he would be 46 by the time he was eligible to play again.

During his ban, Flachi spent time coaching the youth sides of Italian fifth-tier outfit Signa 1914 near his hometown of Florence, with no illusions of extending his role any further.

Speaking to BBC Sport in September last year, he revealed that a cheeky dig from Signa president Andrea Ballerini had reignited his desire to step on the pitch as a player once more.

“Andrea started to provoke me: ‘You can’t play anymore, you’re too old’. I hadn’t entered a proper 11-a-side football pitch for 12 years, but I am a man of football and I live for the emotions, which I had missed so much.

“I know I made a mistake and I got punished for it. I also know I