Despite being just three points off the Serie A’s (SA) top six, Sampdoria face an uphill battle as they host an AC Milan side they have beaten just once in seven top-flight visits here (W1, D3, L3).Three wins in four SA games (W3, L1) has kept Sampdoria in the European spot reckoning, though they can thank their fifth-best SA scoring record (49 goals) for being there.At home, Sampdoria have won five of their last seven SA games (W5, L2) although both losses arrived in the last three matches. What stands out is their defensive record, which is the joint-third best in the SA home table (11 conceded).The visitors’ 3-2 derby loss to Inter last time out halted a five-match winning SA streak, but that does remain Milan’s lone top-flight defeat since Christmas (W7, D3, L1).
Furthermore, Milan are unbeaten in eight away league matches (W4, D4), and can boast the division’s second-best away defence (11 conceded), with just one side scoring more than once against them on the road this league campaign. In fact only three clubs have scored more than one goal against Milan across their last 20 league games, but one of those sides was Sampdoria.
AC Milan have been drawing eight of their 13 SA away games at half-time.
Of Milan’s 19 SA games that finished with a winner, 12 were decided by a one-goal margin.
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