After the crushing disappointment of their midweek exit from Europe, AC Milan aim to get their top-four challenge back on track in Serie A when relegated Sampdoria visit San Siro on Saturday.
As the curtain closes on their top-flight stay, Samp arrive in Italy's second city on an eight-game winless run, while their hosts have won just one of their last four league matches to slip down the standings.
Match preview
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Defeat in the fifth and final Derby della Madonnina of the season saw Milan eliminated from the Champions League when just one step away from next month's final in Istanbul, as Inter again proved too good for their Rossoneri rivals.
Rarely threatening to mount a memorable fightback, the seven-time European champions followed last week's 2-0 loss with a one-goal reverse on Tuesday evening, and they have now lost their last four games against the Nerazzurri without scoring a single goal.
Such a setback sums up the climax to their 2022-23 campaign: handing over the Scudetto to Napoli without making much of a title defence, Stefano Pioli's side have won just three of their last 11 league matches following a humbling defeat to Spezia last Saturday.
With an injury-afflicted lineup at Stadio Picco, Milan came up short against the Serie A strugglers after conceding twice in the last 20 minutes, and considering points accrued since the start of March they would rank only 12th in the standings.
All of which leaves them four points adrift of Italy's top four with just three games left to play - two of which are against Juventus and a Verona side scrapping desperately for survival.
Victory in the other, then, is all but essential. At home to Serie A's crisis club, Milan will expect to post a fourth straight league win over Sampdoria - but they have now failed to take maximum points from any of their last three games against teams inside the drop zone.
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Sampdoria have nothing other than pride to play for in the final three fixtures of their 11-year Serie A stay, after their demotion was confirmed by losing to Udinese earlier this month.
When Dejan Stankovic replaced ex-Milan manager Marco Giampaolo as the Blucerchiati's boss last October, hopes of defying the drop were briefly ignited, but Samp managed only win before the winter break and have fared little better in 2023.
With only 18 points on the board so far, for the first time since the switch to three points for a win they will end a Serie A season with fewer than 28 - a damning indictment of how events have unfolded both on and off the field.
Set to be passed on the way up by arch-rivals Genoa - who have already bounced back from Serie B after one year away - Sampdoria have also recorded the fewest points away from home (nine from 17 matches) and conceded the joint-most goals on the road (36, alongside Sassuolo).
Therefore, a trip to San Siro should be treated with some trepidation - even if many would consider this the perfect time to play a wounded Milan.
Team News
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Stefano Pioli cannot afford to rest weary minds and limbs following Milan's Champions League heartbreak, as a top-four domestic finish is in some jeopardy. In fact, there could be very few changes to the Rossoneri XI on Saturday, due to a lack of alternatives.
Long-term absentees Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alessandro Florenzi have recently been joined on the sidelines by midfield dynamo Ismael Bennacer, whose season has now been ended by a serious knee injury. Divock Origi, Ante Rebic and Aster Vranckx are also unavailable.
Up front, Milan have won 49% of their matches with Rafael Leao on the pitch this term, scoring 1.5 goals on average, but have lost each of the other four while averaging 0.5 goals. The forward, who is set to sign a new long-term contract at the club, therefore starts in support of Olivier Giroud despite barely overcoming a recent thigh problem.
Meanwhile, the latter is enduring his longest streak without scoring in Serie A - currently six matches. Incidentally, Giroud's only away goal in the league this season came against Sampdoria in September's reverse fixture.
Samp's veteran striker, Fabio Quagliarella - four years the Frenchman's senior - has not scored in his last 20 Serie A games but could still partner Manolo Gabbiadini at San Siro.
The visitors will be without Emil Audero and Abdelhamid Sabiri for the remainder of the season, but Mehdi Leris should be fit enough for a place on the bench following his recent injury layoff.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Saelemaekers, Diaz, Leao; Giroud
Sampdoria possible starting lineup:
Ravaglia; Gunter, Nuytinck, Amione; Zanoli, Winks, Rincon, Augello; Djuricic; Gabbiadini, Quagliarella
We say: AC Milan 1-0 Sampdoria
As Serie B-bound Sampdoria concede goals at a rate of more than two per game when on the road, even Milan's tired and demoralised front line can score in Saturday's late kickoff. It may be attritional at times, but the hosts will be spurred on by knowing even a fifth-placed finish could secure their Champions League return if Juventus are ultimately docked nine points as expected.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
