MILAN – Sunday’s league match at the Marassi will be the third meeting between Sampdoria-Milan this season. The two teams also squared up in Serie A back in November and then in the TIM Cup the following month. On both occasions, the Rossoneri emerged victorious. 
The clash at the Marassi on Sunday marks Cristian Brocchi’s debut on the Milan bench after Sinisa Mihajlovic was relieved of his duties earlier this week. Like Milan, Samp have also undergone a change on the bench this season, starting the season with Walter Zenga who was replaced by Vincenzo Montella in November. 
Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini have represented both Sampdoria and Milan with the former currently enjoying a second spell with the Blucerchiati. What’s more, the Italian duo have also left their mark in the history’s fixture, helping Samp to wins over Milan at the Marassi in 2008-09 and 2009-10. 
On the subject of strikers, former favourite Alberto Gilardino scored his last brace with the Milan jersey at the Marassi versus Sampdoria in a 5-0 victory in October 2007. Interestingly, Gila’s first of 44 goals for Milan came away at Samp in September 2005. 
To conclude our striker-theme, Andriy Shevchenko’s first child, Jordan, was born just a few hours before a match between Sampdoria-Milan in 2004 which ended 1-0 in favour of the Rossoneri courtesy of a goal from the new father Sheva.