Serie A leader AC Milan looked a shadow of its recent dominant selves in Saturday's 0-1 home defeat by AS Roma but a mid-season break now offers the chance for rest and the quick capture of Sampdoria's Antonio Cassano.

Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has carried the side to the top, looked jaded as injuries to Filippo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato has meant he has had to play every minute of Milan's recent games.

"In the second half, we dropped our intensity a bit. It's a shame because it was a game we had under control," coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters.

Out-of-favor Ronaldinho has been on the bench for nine consecutive league games, making the signing of Cassano before Serie A resumes on January 6 a priority, especially since Ibrahimovic is banned from the game at Allegri's former side Cagliari.

Sampdoria is keen to offload Italy forward Cassano after he fell out with the club president, and Milan Chief Executive Adriano Galliani wants to do a deal if former owner Real Madrid drops or reduces a 5 million euro (US$6.66 million) sell-on clause.

Negotiations will go on over the festive season but the rush would not have been necessary if Milan had kept forward Marco Borriello instead of loaning him to AS Roma in August. Borriello scored the winner against his old side on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Luis Jimenez struck on 17 minutes to give third-bottom Cesena a 1-0 win over Cagliari.