LUIS MURIEL’S penalty gave Sampdoria a shocking 1-0 win over AC Milan 1-0 Sunday to compound the Rossoneri’s hopes of a return to European soccer.

    Milan, slipping to its third consecutive league defeat, remains in the eighth place but is now 14 points behind leader Juventus, which has two games in hand.

    More importantly, Milan sits 10 points behind AS Roma in the third and last Champions League qualifying spot. The capital side can stretch its lead with a win over Fiorentina today.

    AC Milan coach Vincenzo Montella had raised hopes this season that the seven-time European champions could battle for a Champions League spot.

    Milan last graced the competition in 2014 when the side lost 5-1 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid in the last 16.

    But injuries to midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura, who is out for the season, and defenders Mattia di Sciglio and Luca Antonelli forced Montella into deploying a largely makeshift back four.

    Alessio Romagnoli and Juraj Kucka were hauled back into defense from midfield, and Milan’s defense held firm against incursions by Muriel and Andrea Bertolacci in the first half.

    (SD-Agencies)