AC Milan opened its Serie A campaign Monday with a 1-0 win at Sampdoria as coach Stefano Pioli fielded a host of new signings including Olivier Giroud.

Giroud, who turns 35 next month, is expected to make a sizeable impact for the Rossoneri alongside the club’s other ageing star Zlatan Ibrahmivoc.

As the towering Swede recovers from knee surgery, Piolo will hope France’s second-highest scorer of all time can make as big an impact as he did at Chelsea, helping the Blues to the Champions League title last season.

With Milan back in the Champions League for the first time since 2013/14, a reliable presence in front of goal could be just what Pioli’s team need.

There was a new presence too between the goalposts, with Mike Maignan, recruited from French champions Lille to try to fill the outsize boots of Italy’s Euro 2020 winner Gianluigi Donnarumma, now with Paris Saint-Germain.

Looking assured in his new surroundings, it was Maignan’s long pass that set up the only goal of the game, Davide Calabria then providing the assist with Sampdoria keeper Emil Audero unable to cope with Brahim Diaz’s low shot.

The Spanish midfielder joined on loan from Real Madrid last season and that has been extended for two more years.

With Sampdoria marking Giroud out of the game, the French forward was given little chance to open his Milan account.(SD-Agencies)