AC MILAN v SAMPDORIA: OPPONENT REVIEW

The next league match brings with it an important opportunity for the Rossoneri, who will face the bottom side in the table, Sampdoria, who have already been subject to mathematical relegation. The Blucerchiati have nothing more to gain from a disastrous season, unlike AC Milan, who can get three essential points in the race for the next Champions League. The Rossoneri have to aim for a full three points in the final stretch of the league season to get back into the top four and hope for a few slip-ups from those ahead of them in the standings.

Regarding the upcoming fixture, AC Milan have won their last three matches against Sampdoria in Serie A and are unbeaten in nine of their last ten matches against the Blucerchiati in the top flight. Last season, the hosts went 1-0 up (13 February 2022) and could get their second clean sheet in a row against the Ligurians at San Siro for the first time since 2011 (series of three).

SAMPDORIA WITH 18 POINTS, THE SECOND WORST PERFORMANCE IN THE TOP-5 LEAGUES
Sampdoria's season, in addition to being stained by a relegation that is now written in stone, also bears another ungenerous statistic for the Blucerchiati: 18 points, which means that with three matchdays to go, the club will for the first time in its history end a Serie A season with less than 28 points (in the three points per win era). A telling statistic, which says a lot about the Blucerchiati performance this season, even the second worst in the current five major European leagues.

Exactly half of Sampdoria's points were earned away from home, where they also conceded 36 goals: a negative away record in this competition, par with Sassuolo. On the offensive front, the Ligurians have shown difficulty throughout the year, having found the net only 21 times in 35 matches: the worst attack of the top five European leagues 2022/23, accompanied by the lowest scoring percentage of the aforementioned competitions (6%).

QUAGLIARELLA CHASING PERSONAL SUCCESS, ZANOLI AND AUGELLO SERVING THE TEAM
Sampdoria's poor offensive output is due to multiple factors, including the absence of a player in the squad who can ensure a certain scoring contribution. Unlike in previous seasons, Fabio Quagliarella's contribution in front of goal has been lacking, however justified by his ID that reads '40 years old'. The Blucerchiati captain has not scored since last season (against Fiorentina on 16 May 2022) and could go goalless in Serie A for the first time in seventeen consecutive years. On the last matchday, however, he served his only assist for Zanoli's goal for the momentary lead over Empoli. The '83 born striker from Castellammare di Stabia has also scored three career goals against AC Milan in Serie A, all at San Siro.

One goal less, however, for Filip Djuričić against AC Milan, who has scored two goals against the Rossoneri in Serie A: his first ever in the tournament (with Sassuolo on 30 September 2018) and the one in the first leg, where they lost 2-1. However, the latest Blucerchiati goals have not come from players in the forward department. Three of Sampdoria's last six Serie A goals have come from defenders, including the last two, scored by Bruno Amione and Alessandro Zanoli. Zanoli in particular, since making his Serie A debut with Sampdoria (on 8 January against Napoli), is one of the two Blucerchiati players who have always been present in the league: 19 out of 19 matches, like Tommaso Augello.

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