However, Flachi's relationship with new Sampdoria manager Walter Novellino was not ideal, with the pair having numerous arguments on and off the pitch. The player paid for his attitude by remaining on the bench in the first half of the 2003–04 campaign. As the partnership of Massimo Marazzina and Atsushi Yanagisawa did not click, the manager began playing Flachi and Fabio Bazzani with good results; the team eventually finished in eighth position, with 24 goals between Flachi (11) and Bazzani (13).