Juve defeat champions in final push for top-four finish

  ROME - With just one round of fixtures remaining in this year’s Series A there is still a lot to be decided at the top of the table after AC Milan’s goalless draw with Cagliari on Sunday and victories for both Atalanta (4-3 over Genoa) and Napoli (2-0 over Fiorentina).

  Atalanta are sitting in second, though only two points in front of AC Milan in fourth, whom they play next weekend. Napoli are occupying third though are only ahead of Milan on goal difference, and Juventus are just a point behind in fifth. As is stands Atalanta are guaranteed a coveted top-four finish but Juve, Napoli and Milan will all need a victory to secure their place in next season’s Champions League. Second place is still also very much up for grabs, with Atalanta, Napoli and Milan all in the running.

  Meanwhile, further down the table, Roma beat Lazio 2-0 in the Derby della Capitale on Saturday. Though still six points below their neighbours in the table, Roma were the better team on the night, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan opening the scoring the 42nd minute with a easy finish on the end of a brilliantly worked assist by Edin Dzeko, dribbling through two Lazio defenders in the box.

  Pedro doubled Roma’s lead in the 78th minute with a sublime solo goal hit from distance after driving through several biancocelesti in the middle of the pitch.

  Saturday also saw another big match, with Juventus beating champions Inter Milan 3-2 in the Derby d’Italia. Juve were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute after some kerfuffle in the area, and despite having his initial attempt saved, Cristiano Ronaldo managed to score on the rebound, for his 29th goal of the season.

  Just ten minutes later, Juve’s Matthijs de Ligt caught Lautaro Martinez’s heel in the area, and another penalty was given, though this time for Inter. Romelu Lukaku managed to slot it past Wojciech Szczesny without any problems, to bring the scores level. Juan Cuadrado gave Juve the lead again right at the end of the first half with a powerful, though crucially deflected, shot from outside the area.

  Juve midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off in the 55th minute for a bad challenge on Lukaku that earned him a second yellow, and then things got even worse for Juve when Chiellini conceded an own goal in the 83rd minute, managing to also earn himself a yellow card in the process for shirt pulling.

  However, the home team eventually came out on top through another penalty just five minutes later, won and converted by Juan Cuadrado. The final act of an action-packed match, and the salt in the wound for Inter, was the sending off of Marcelo Brozovic in the 92nd minute for a second bookable offence.

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