Sampdoria vs. AC Milan: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
AC Milan travel to face Sampdoria this Sunday intent on breaking their Serie A winless streak, which currently stands at five consecutive games. They will do so with a new coach in charge of first-team affairs.
On Tuesday night, per Football Italia, it was confirmed Sinisa Mihajlovic had been sacked by the club after less than one season at the helm. The decision was no doubt made with the club’s recent poor form in mind, but it leaves the new man with little time to make an impact.
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Former Primavera coach Cristian Brocchi will take over first-team coaching duties until the end of the season, but he only has six league games and a Coppa Italia final to assert his ideas. Nonetheless, the former Milan player, who won two UEFA Champions Leagues with the club, is keen to leave a mark.
"I have no negative thoughts," he stated in his opening press conference, per the club’s official website. "I take this opportunity with the great desire and spirit which have always distinguished me. I am not afraid, I know what I can do."
Brocchi also confirmed his intention to bring in his own way of doing things, saying: "I really want to bring in my methodology and way of coaching. I would not say (it is) better, but definitely different in that I have worked in another way and I want to make sure the team apply that."
Appointing a man with no experience of first-team management is a risk, especially considering European qualification is at stake for Milan. As it stands, they are just one point clear of Sassuolo in the race for a top-six finish that would secure UEFA Europa League football next season.
Furthermore, Brocchi’s first match in charge is a tough assignment. Sampdoria have been showing signs of life lately after a poor start under Vincenzo Montella’s auspices, though the former Fiorentina coach has gradually turned the team’s form around.
The Blucerchiati have won three of their last six league fixtures, the latest of which came with a 2-0 victory at home to Udinese on Sunday, 10 April.
After that match, Montella told his post-match press conference, per Forza Italian Football, he was impressed with his team’s mental capacity and called for a more attacking approach going forward.
"At times this team has demonstrated that in difficulty, it knows how to turn things around," he said. "The team knows what to do and now it can do better because we know each other (better) over time. We have the possibility to show our ability, to have fun and to entertain our fans, who for some time have suffered with us."
While victory for Sampdoria this weekend could push them closer to a comfortable mid-table spot, for Milan, it would mean ensuring they remain in the driving seat for a crucial top-six place. As such, it is arguable Sunday’s clash is more important to the Rossoneri.
Date: Sunday, 17 April
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST (2:45 p.m. ET)
Venue: Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy
TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK), beIN Sports 3 (USA)
Live Stream: Bet365.com
Form Guide
Sampdoria 2-0 Udinese
Fiorentina 1-1 Sampdoria
Sampdoria 0-1 Chievo
Empoli 1-1 Sampdoria
Verona 0-3 Sampdoria
Milan 1-2 Juventus
Atalanta 2-1 Milan
Milan 1-1 Lazio
Chievo 0-0 Milan
Sassuolo 2-0 Milan
Team News
A change in tactical outlook often comes hand in hand with a change in coach, and this looks likely to be the case at Milan following Brocchi’s appointment. His predecessor preferred a 4-4-2 system, but he has professed an inclination towards alternate shapes.
In his press conference, he told reporters, per the club website:
"I like to play with three in midfield and four in defence. I like the idea of playing with a playmaker which I did with the youth side. There are players who can play in a midfield of three and those who can play as attacking midfielders and we have the chance to play with a trident. This is the route we will follow.
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With the change in system, it is likely Keisuke Honda will be dropped from the starting lineup, with Giacomo Bonaventura taking up the trequartista role behind the strikers in a 4-3-1-2. This is a position the Italy international has experience in, having occupied it earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, Riccardo Montolivo and Andrea Bertolacci, who missed the 2-1 defeat to Juventus due to suspension, should form the midfield trident with Juraj Kucka.
Recently, Montella has utilised a back three with Sampdoria, though it is uncertain what exact formation he will line his players up in this Sunday. The 3-5-2 was his preference in the win over Udinese, though he may opt for the 3-4-2-1 to give more fluidity in attacking areas against Milan.
The main headache for the Blucerchiati boss will be who to play in attacking midfield, with Antonio Cassano, Joaquin Correa, Roberto Soriano and Ricardo Alvarez all vying for the two available spaces in this area.
If Montella is to opt for form, he will likely go with the latter two.
Soriano is one of Sampdoria’s most in-demand players, with Corriere dello Sport (h/t Football Italia) reporting Inter have been scouting the creator. Alvarez, meanwhile, has been in exceptional form since joining the club in January, earning a 7.07 average rating from WhoScored.com for his efforts.
Both players will look to drop deep to knit passing moves together before joining the attacks to combine with Fabio Quagliarella, who should start as the lone striker.
In defence, the only concern for Montella will be replacing Andrea Ranocchia, who is suspended for this game. In his place, Matias Silvestre may get the nod to start in the centre of the back three, with the powerful Modibo Diakite and Niklas Moisander flanking him.
Predicted Lineups
Sampdoria (3-4-2-1): Emiliano Viviano; Modibo Diakite, Matias Silvestre, Niklas Moisander; Lorenzo De Silvestri, Fernando, Nenad Krsticic, Dodo; Roberto Soriano, Ricardo Alvarez; Fabio Quagliarella
Unavailable: Andrea Ranocchia (suspended), Carlos Carbonero, David Ivan, Jacopo Sala (injured).
Milan (4-3-1-2): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Ignazio Abate, Alex, Alessio Romagnoli, Luca Antonelli; Juraj Kucka, Riccardo Montolivo, Andrea Bertolacci; Giacomo Bonaventura; Mario Balotelli, Carlos Bacca
Unavailable: M’Baye Niang (injured).
Players to Watch
If Sampdoria are to open up Milan’s defence, Roberto Soriano will no doubt have an important role. The 25-year-old, who is a regular call-up to Antonio Conte’s Italy national team squad, is an exceptional technician who combines neat passing with an awareness to find and exploit space.
For Milan, Mario Balotelli has been impressive in recent games, and he will be looking to show his qualities on Brocchi’s managerial debut for the club.
Indeed, the new coach has professed he is looking forward to working with the striker, telling reporters per Football Italia: "The hope is for the team to work to get the best out of individuals, that includes Balotelli. He’s a player I like a lot, and if we can get him to play like he did in the last game (against Juventus) ... then he’ll definitely be important for the team."
Key Battle
An intriguing clash of individuals could take place on the flank this Sunday, with Sampdoria right wing-back Lorenzo De Silvestri likely to come up against Milan left-back Luca Antonelli.
Both players are aggressive on the ball and enjoy surging forward to provide offensive incision to their team’s winger-less formations.
Odds
Sampdoria: 21/10
Milan: 13/10
Draw: 23/10
All odds via Odds Shark.
