The Zlatan Ibrahimovic era at AC Milan begins again on Monday afternoon at San Siro, when they welcome Sampdoria at 15.00.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
AC Milan (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Conti, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Theo Hernandez; Kessié, Bennacer, Bonaventura; Suso, Piatek, Calhanoglu.
Unavailable: Duarte.
Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Audero; Depaoli, Colley, Murillo, Murru; Linetty, Ekdal, Jankto; Ramirez; Gabbiadini, Quagliarella.
Suspended: Caprari.
Unavailable: Barreto, Ferrari, Bertolacci.
KEY STATISTICS
– The last Serie A draw between AC Milan and Sampdoria was back in April 2015: the Rossoneri have won six of these meetings since, with three wins for the Blucerchiati.
– Milan have kept a clean sheet in 14 of their last 26 home games against Sampdoria in Serie A.
– AC Milan have won 15 of their 19 first Serie A games of a new year in the 21st century (D2 L2), winning each of their last three without conceding a single goal.
– AC Milan haven’t found the net in either of their last two Serie A games: the last time they failed to score in more consecutive league games was back in December 2018 (four).
– Sampdoria have picked up 10 of their 15 Serie A points this season since October – the Blucerchiati would be in ninth position in the Serie A table when only considering games played from November onwards.
– Sampdoria (5.8%) and AC Milan (6.8%) are two of the four sides with the lowest shot conversion rate in Serie A this season (also SPAL, 5.6% and Udinese, 6.3%).
– AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has drawn 50% of his Serie A meetings against Sampdoria (7/14) – he has won just twice against the Blucerchiati, most recently in May 2015 as Lazio coach.
– Zlatan Ibrahimovic has the best goals per game ratio of any AC Milan player in the three points for a win era (0.69 – 42 goals in 61 games played).
– Should he score, Theo Hernández would become the first AC Milan defender to score at least five Serie A goals in a single season since Christian Panucci in 1995/96.
– Among sides he has faced more than twice in Serie A, Milan are the team against which Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella has the worst mins/goal ratio (one goal every 929 league minutes).
