2nd placed AC Milan will be eager to set the record straight on home turf at their Stadio Giuseppe Meazza when they return from the international break to take on mid-table outfit, Sampdoria, on Saturday.
Picking up results away from home hasn’t been a problem for AC Milan as they’ve won seven of their last eight matches on their travels while failing to win any of their last three matches in their own backyard which includes losses against Inter Milan and Napoli.
However, Sampdoria apparently have very little to play for here as they’re 15 points adrift of 5th placed Roma and hold a 13-point cushion over the relegation zone, and this may well play nicely into AC Milan’s hands here.
There’s still work to do for AC Milan who possess an okay home record of 6-4-4 25/20 but the hosts have won the previous two meetings on the trot against Sampdoria and they need to further cement their place in the top four with a win here.
Defenders Calabria and Romagnoli are set to miss out while forwards Mandzukic and Maldini are also sidelined.
Onto Sampdoria and the visitors headed into the international break with a welcome 1-0 home win over Torino which not only handed Sampdoria a much-needed three points but also ended a previous miserable run of five matches without a win in Serie A.
Recent defeats against Lazio, Atalanta and Bologna have prevented 10th placed Sampdoria from making any inroads into the top half of the Italian top flight while the bigger picture shows that Sampdoria have managed to win just two of their last nine matches overall.
Both of these wins were recorded on home turf at their Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris but results away from home have been very ordinary indeed as the visitors have managed to pick up just two wins out of their last 11 matches on their travels.
These rare victories were at 9th placed Hellas Verona and second from bottom outfit, Parma, but having managed to keep just one clean sheet out of an ordinary looking away record which reads W4 D3 L7, Sampdoria look to have their work cut out if they’re to walk away from Milan with anything this Saturday.
Sampdoria will be without defender Tonelli, midfielder Ekdal and forward Torregrossa who are all injured.
AC Milan have the greater incentive here and they should account for a poor-travelling Samp side in this one.