The 2001-02 campaign was a season of consolidation for Sampdoria in the second tier, as the Blucerchiati ultimately finished a respectable 11th in Serie B. Leading the charge was the relentless Francesco Flachi, whose crucial 16 goals, one of the league's top individual tallies, proved vital in a campaign built on steady performance and the ambition to return to Serie A. Under manager Luigi Cagni, the team showed glimpses of promise, including a run in the Coppa Italia, in a year that laid the foundation for their eventual promotion and remains a chapter remembered for the enduring efforts of their talismanic striker.