After a return to form last season, AC Milan begin their Serie A campaign with a trip to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to face Sampdoria on Monday, as the Rossoneri look to challenge for the Scudetto.
Stefano Pioli’s side secured Champions League qualification with a second place finish last season, and were in the hunt for the title until hitting a blip after Christmas.
Sampdoria, meanwhile, are hoping to address an awful recent opening round record, having fallen to defeat in their first game of the past three seasons.
Serie A LIVE – Sampdoria v Milan – Probable line-ups
Olivier Giroud is expected to be handed his debut in attack for Milan following his summer arrival from Chelsea, whilst the departure of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will see fellow Frenchman Mike Maignan start. The evergreen Fabio Quagliarella will likely lead the line for Sampdoria, supported by Manolo Gabbiadini. In midfield, Mikkel Damsgaard will hope to continue his impressive performances from Euro 2020 after catching the eye with Denmark.
Sampdoria: Audero; Bereszynski, Murillo, Chabot, Augello; Thorsby, Ekdal; Candreva, Gabbiadini, Damsgaard; Quagliarella.
Milan: Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Bennacer, Tonali; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Rebic; Giroud.
Sampdoria v Milan – Match Stats
- AC Milan have won their last two Serie A away meetings against Sampdoria and could win three such matches in a row for the second time in the competition (after a four-game streak in 1968).
- After winning their first two Serie A season opening games against Sampdoria, AC Milan have lost two of the following three against them (D1), including the most recent one (0-1 in August 2012).
- Sampdoria have lost their last three season openers in Serie A, failing to score in each of them; they have never lost four such matches in a row in the Italian top-flight.
- AC Milan have drawn only one of their last 15 opening matches to a Serie A campaign: 2-2 in September 2011 against Lazio (W8 L6).
- AC Milan have lost four of their last five Serie A season openers away from home (W1), after having remained unbeaten in 14 successive such matches (W10 D4).
- Sampdoria have won their last two Serie A matches keeping two clean sheets: they last won three league games in a row without conceding in March 2015.
- AC Milan have kept a clean sheet in each of their last five Serie A matches: they last had a longer run without conceding in the competition in February 1994 (nine in a row under Fabio Capello).
- Fabio Quagliarella has scored eight Serie A goals in August, level with David Trezeguet and Antonio Di Natale – he could become the joint-top scorer in this month of the year in the competition: level with Marek Hamsik (nine).
- This could be Ante Rebic’s 150th appearance in the Top-5 European Leagues: Sampdoria is one of two sides (alongside Napoli) against which the AC Milan player has delivered more than one Serie A assist (two).
- Olivier Giroud could become the 15th Frenchman to score for AC Milan in Serie A: AC Milan are already the team with the most French scorers in the competition.
Where can I watch Sampdoria v Milan in Serie A?
In the UK, BT Sport have the rights to Serie A and will show around 200 games over the course of the season, with this game being shown on BT Sport 1 or on the BT Sport App. Paramount+ hold the rights in the USA, and CBS Sports Network will also be showing it.
How to follow Sampdoria v Milan in the USA LIVE?
If you’re living in the USA, you can view the Sampdoria v Milan fixture on Paramount+, with the station having signed a deal which gives them a significant portion of Serie A broadcasts for the 2021/22 season.
How to follow Udinese v Juventus in the UK LIVE?
If you’re living in the UK, you can view the Sampdoria v Milan fixture on BT Sport 1, with the subscription service having retained the rights to broadcast Serie A in 2021/22.
