Serie A is the last of the big five leagues to kick off and will finally get underway on Saturday. Fans of Sampdoria and AC Milan will have to wait until Monday to see their teams play, however.
Sampdoria host AC Milan at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. The hosts are seeking a better season to their respectable ninth place end to the campaign.
The Blucerchiati are now under the leadership of coach Roberto D’Aversa. He took over for Claudio Ranieri in the offseason.
The new coach looks set to play the season with many of the same faces that lined up at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris last season.
AC Milan go into the season with new hope. Inter Milan’s fire sale of players and coaching could lead to the Rossoneri claiming a first title in around a decade of football.
Juventus will be a difficult side to defeat after new players signed for the Old Lady. Max Allegri’s return as coach should improve the Turin team as well.
AC Milan fought for the title up until the final months of the Serie A 2020-21 season, but fell off the pace.
The Rossoneri still finished second with 79 points, 12 fewer than Inter Milan. AC Milan are unbeaten in four straight games against Sampdoria. Two of those matches ended in wins and two in draws.
Last season, AC Milan went to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris and won 2-1. Franck Kessie scored a first half penalty and Samuel Castillejo added a second goal on 77 minutes. Sampdoria’s Albi Ekdal pulled a goal back with 10 minutes to play.
The reverse fixture at the San Siro finished 1-1 with Fabio Quagliarella scoring on 57 minutes. AC Milan’s Jens Petter Hauge scoring to level the game with three minutes to play.
AC Milan posted an away record of 16W-1D-2L in 2020-21. It was Serie A’s best away record and far better than their performances at home.
Sampdoria, on the other hand, recorded a 9W-3D-7L at home. They did score 32 goals while conceding just 26.
The Rossoneri have been excellent against Sampdoria in recent meetings. Their last two wins to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris finished in wins. Sunday’s game should see AC Milan claim a third straight win away against Sampdoria.
For the third straight time playing at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, expect these sides to finish with more than 2.5 goals scored. However, AC Milan should start strongly with a win to nil.