The 2008–09 season saw Di Francisca's return to form with four quarter-finals finishes and a silver medal at the Dallas World Cup. She was called again into the national team for the European Championships in Plovdiv. In the individual event she was stopped in table of 16 by teammate Arianna Errigo, but in the team event Italy defeated successively Romania, France and Russia to take back the continental title, four years after Zalaegerszeg. At the World Championships she reached the semi-finals after defeating Valentina Vezzali, then lost to Russia's Aida Shanayeva and came away with a bronze medal, her first individual distinction in World Championships. In the team event Italy met Russia in the final and took revenge for the lost match in Torino by defeating them 45–33, including a 5–0 bout by Di Francisca against Shanayeva. Italy was thus able to reclaim the world title that had eluded them since 2004. Di Francisca finished the season No.5 in World rankings.