However, that is exactly what awaits coach Massimiliano Allegri and his struggling team on Saturday before they travel to Belgium for a potentially decisive Champions League tie against Anderlecht on Wednesday.
Napoli have dropped only two points in their six home games in Serie A and won 4-2 at Genoa last week.
The Swede's striking partner Antonio Cassano and defensive lynchpin Thiago Silva also departed and the Brazilian, now with Ibrahimovic at Paris Saint-Germain, said he was shocked by Milan's poor start.
"It's difficult to judge from a distance but I have never seen a Milan like this," Silva told Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday.
"Six defeats in 12 matches just isn't Milan. I hope they can pick themselves up."
"It is obvious that we are not happy," said Galliani. "We evaluated everything and decided that there's no guarantee that changing the coach would improve the situation.
"We have confirmed Allegri, he has done well in the past two years and this is the decision we have made."
"We have nine more points compared to this time last season and I am glad to see my team never gives up or stops looking for the victory to the very end," said coach Walter Mazzarri.
"I train an exceptional group of players. There is a real sense of union and we all care about each other."
Sampdoria are 17th with 10 points after slumping to seven consecutive league defeats, prompting a protest by fans outside the team's training ground on Wednesday.
