AC Milan have signed Italy international defender Alessandro Florenzi on a season-long loan from Serie A rivals AS Roma with the option of a permanent deal, both clubs said on Saturday. 
 
The 30-year-old right back, who was part of the Italy squad that won the European Championship, has played 45 matches for the Azzurri scoring two goals. 
 
Florenzi made his senior debut for Roma in 2011 after coming through their youth ranks and played more than 250 games for the side in the following eight seasons, but spent the last two on loan at Valencia and Paris St Germain. 
 
Italian media reported that Milan would pay Roma one million euros ($1.17 million) for the loan, with a further 4.5 million euros to be paid should they decide to make the deal permanent. 
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AC Milan have signed Italy international defender Alessandro Florenzi on a season-long loan from Serie A rivals AS Roma with the option of a permanent deal, both clubs said on Saturday.

AC Milan have signed Italy international defender Alessandro Florenzi on a season-long loan from Serie A rivals AS Roma with the option of a permanent deal, both clubs said on Saturday. The 30-year-old right back, who was part of the Italy squad that won the European Championship, has played 45 matches for the Azzurri scoring two goals. Florenzi made his senior debut for Roma in 2011 after coming through their youth ranks and played more than 250 games for the side in the following eight seasons, but spent the last two on loan at Valencia and Paris St Germain. Italian media reported that Milan would pay Roma one million euros ($1.17 million) for the loan, with a further 4.5 million euros to be paid should they decide to make the deal permanent.

AC Milan sign Italy's Florenzi on loan from Roma

From Zidane to Mourinho: List of top managers sacked and signed by football clubs

Doubters over Italy's chances of going all the way at Euro 2020 have pointed to their comfortable path to the quarter-finals, but that will all change on Friday, up against a Belgium side whose leading marksman knows the Italians all too well.

Romelu Lukaku enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2020-21, voted player of the year in Italy's Serie A as Belgium forward fired Inter Milan to their first top-flight title in 11 years.

Next in his sights are club teammates and players used to try to stop him on a weekly basis in Serie A as Belgium and Italy, who have won four out of four games each at Euro 2020, go head to head in Munich in the last eight.

Italy are on a record unbeaten run of 31 matches, last losing back in September 2018 against Portugal. However, such a run has not convinced everyone, given Roberto Mancini's side have beaten lower-ranked opposition in Switzerland, Turkey, Wales, and Austria so far.

With Lukaku in town, spearheading the attack for the world's top-ranked team according to FIFA, Italy will have no such easy ride.

"We know Lukaku well because we also face him in Serie A," Italy and Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo told UEFA.com. "We know he is a great striker, he had a wonderful season with Inter.

"He is to be kept under observation, but Belgium have many strong players and it will be a great match.

"The further you go, the stronger teams you face, but the approach is always the same."

Lukaku's 24 league goals last season for Inter represents his second-best career return for a domestic campaign, but his chances of adding to his three Euro 2020 strikes so far could be affected by key injuries to two of his chief providers.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who made the joint-second most assists in the English Premier League last season, suffered an ankle injury in Belgium's 1-0 last-16 win over Portugal, while captain Eden Hazard limped off with a leg muscle problem.

Both could be fit for Friday's clash, but should either not make it, facing a defense who conceded their first goal in 19 hours and 28 minutes against Austria last Saturday, Lukaku could be in for a tough afternoon.

But those resolute Azzurri defenders know from experience that he should be underestimated at their peril.

Doubters over Italy's chances of going all the way at Euro 2020 have pointed to their comfortable path to the quarter-finals, but that will all change on Friday, up against a Belgium side whose leading marksman knows the Italians all too well.

Doubters over Italy's chances of going all the way at Euro 2020 have pointed to their comfortable path to the quarter-finals, but that will all change on Friday, up against a Belgium side whose leading marksman knows the Italians all too well. Romelu Lukaku enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2020-21, voted player of the year in Italy's Serie A as Belgium forward fired Inter Milan to their first top-flight title in 11 years. Next in his sights are club teammates and players used to try to stop him on a weekly basis in Serie A as Belgium and Italy, who have won four out of four games each at Euro 2020, go head to head in Munich in the last eight. Italy are on a record unbeaten run of 31 matches, last losing back in September 2018 against Portugal. However, such a run has not convinced everyone, given Roberto Mancini's side have beaten lower-ranked opposition in Switzerland, Turkey, Wales, and Austria so far. With Lukaku in town, spearheading the attack for the world's top-ranked team according to FIFA, Italy will have no such easy ride. "We know Lukaku well because we also face him in Serie A," Italy and Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo told UEFA.com. "We know he is a great striker, he had a wonderful season with Inter. "He is to be kept under observation, but Belgium have many strong players and it will be a great match. "The further you go, the stronger teams you face, but the approach is always the same." Lukaku's 24 league goals last season for Inter represents his second-best career return for a domestic campaign, but his chances of adding to his three Euro 2020 strikes so far could be affected by key injuries to two of his chief providers. Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who made the joint-second most assists in the English Premier League last season, suffered an ankle injury in Belgium's 1-0 last-16 win over Portugal, while captain Eden Hazard limped off with a leg muscle problem. Both could be fit for Friday's clash, but should either not make it, facing a defense who conceded their first goal in 19 hours and 28 minutes against Austria last Saturday, Lukaku could be in for a tough afternoon. But those resolute Azzurri defenders know from experience that he should be underestimated at their peril.

Euro 2020: Italy finally get real test up against Serie A leading marksman Romelu Lukaku

Lazio all but confirmed the appointment of Maurizio&nbsp;Sarri&nbsp;as their new head coach on Wednesday by posting a cigarette emoji on social media.

The Serie A club's post was a reference to the chain-smoking manager, and numerous Italian media reports say the 62-year-old has signed a two-year deal in Rome.

The capital club have been in talks with the former Juventus and Chelsea manager for more than a week as they looked for a successor to Simone Inzaghi, who joined Inter Milan last week.

Sarri&nbsp;has been without a club since he was sacked by Juventus in August 2020, despite winning the Serie A title.

Lazio, who finished sixth in Serie A in 2020-21, were on the hunt for a big-name replacement for long-serving boss Inzaghi, who was in charge at the Stadio Olimpico since April 2016.

Sarri, a former banker, spent more than 20 years coaching in Italy's lower leagues before making his name at Napoli between 2015 and 2018.

There, he built a side that played flowing, attacking football and pushed Juventus very close for the Serie A title in 2017-18, finishing second with 91 points.

The 62-year-old's work in Naples earned him a move to Chelsea in July 2018, where he won the Europa League title and led the London club to third place in the Premier League, but he left for Juve after one season in charge.

In Turin,&nbsp;Sarri&nbsp;led Juventus to a ninth consecutive league title but lost in the Coppa Italia final to former club Napoli, and he was sacked following a Champions League Last-16 elimination at the hands of Olympique Lyonnais.

Lazio all but confirmed the appointment of Maurizio Sarri as their new head coach on Wednesday by posting a cigarette emoji on social media. The Serie A club's post was a reference to the chain-smoking manager, and numerous Italian media reports say the 62-year-old has signed a two-year deal in Rome.

Lazio all but confirmed the appointment of Maurizio Sarri as their new head coach on Wednesday by posting a cigarette emoji on social media. The Serie A club's post was a reference to the chain-smoking manager, and numerous Italian media reports say the 62-year-old has signed a two-year deal in Rome. The capital club have been in talks with the former Juventus and Chelsea manager for more than a week as they looked for a successor to Simone Inzaghi, who joined Inter Milan last week. Sarri has been without a club since he was sacked by Juventus in August 2020, despite winning the Serie A title. Lazio, who finished sixth in Serie A in 2020-21, were on the hunt for a big-name replacement for long-serving boss Inzaghi, who was in charge at the Stadio Olimpico since April 2016. Sarri, a former banker, spent more than 20 years coaching in Italy's lower leagues before making his name at Napoli between 2015 and 2018. There, he built a side that played flowing, attacking football and pushed Juventus very close for the Serie A title in 2017-18, finishing second with 91 points. The 62-year-old's work in Naples earned him a move to Chelsea in July 2018, where he won the Europa League title and led the London club to third place in the Premier League, but he left for Juve after one season in charge. In Turin, Sarri led Juventus to a ninth consecutive league title but lost in the Coppa Italia final to former club Napoli, and he was sacked following a Champions League Last-16 elimination at the hands of Olympique Lyonnais.

Football: Lazio hint at Sarri appointment with cigarette emoji

Luciano Spalletti has been named the new coach of Napoli, succeeding Gennaro Gattuso, the Serie A club confirmed on Saturday.

The vastly experienced Spalletti left his last role with Inter Milan in 2019 and enjoyed his most successful spell in Italy at AS Roma, where he won back-to-back Coppa Italias in 2007 and 2008.

Gattuso's widely-expected departure was confirmed this week after Napoli failed to qualify for next season's Champions League following a final day draw at home to Hellas Verona.

"I am delighted to announce that Luciano Spalletti will become Napoli coach on 1 July," Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said in a short statement. "Welcome, Luciano - we'll do great work together."

Gattuso, who has since taken over at fellow Serie A side Fiorentina, succeeded Carlo Ancelotti as Napoli coach in December 2019 and led them to Coppa Italia glory in 2020.

Although his departure was far from surprising following a reported breakdown in his relationship with De Laurentiis, Gattuso has not discussed the matter recently as the club have imposed a media blackout since February.

Luciano Spalletti has been named the new coach of Napoli, succeeding Gennaro Gattuso, the Serie A club confirmed on Saturday. The vastly experienced Spalletti left his last role with Inter Milan in 2019 and enjoyed his most successful spell in Italy at AS Roma, where he won back-to-back Coppa Italias in 2007 and 2008.

Luciano Spalletti has been named the new coach of Napoli, succeeding Gennaro Gattuso, the Serie A club confirmed on Saturday. The vastly experienced Spalletti left his last role with Inter Milan in 2019 and enjoyed his most successful spell in Italy at AS Roma, where he won back-to-back Coppa Italias in 2007 and 2008. Gattuso's widely-expected departure was confirmed this week after Napoli failed to qualify for next season's Champions League following a final day draw at home to Hellas Verona. "I am delighted to announce that Luciano Spalletti will become Napoli coach on 1 July," Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said in a short statement. "Welcome, Luciano - we'll do great work together." Gattuso, who has since taken over at fellow Serie A side Fiorentina, succeeded Carlo Ancelotti as Napoli coach in December 2019 and led them to Coppa Italia glory in 2020. Although his departure was far from surprising following a reported breakdown in his relationship with De Laurentiis, Gattuso has not discussed the matter recently as the club have imposed a media blackout since February.

Football: Spalletti named Napoli coach as Gattuso's successor

Cristiano Ronaldo said he has realised one of the goals he set for himself when he joined Juventus in 2018 and valued everything the club had achieved this season despite their run of nine straight Serie A title coming to an end.

Ronaldo, 36, has one year remaining on his contract at Juventus but there has been a flurry of media speculation that the Portuguese forward could be leaving in the summer.

Juventus were deposed as champions by Inter Milan and only climbed into the top four on the final day of the campaign on Sunday (May 23) to secure Champions League qualification.

"This year we couldn't win Serie A, congratulations to Inter for the well-deserved title. However, I have to value everything that we achieved this season at Juventus, both in collective and individual terms," Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram post on Monday, May 24.

"The Italian Super Cup, Italian Cup and Serie A top scorer trophy fill me with happiness, mainly due to the difficulty they carry with them, in a country where nothing is easy to win.

"With these achievements, I reached a goal I had set myself since the first day I arrived in Italy: to win the championship, the Cup and the Super Cup, and also to be Best Player and Top Scorer in this great&nbsp;football&nbsp;country filled with tremendous players, giant clubs and a very own&nbsp;football&nbsp;culture."

The 36-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid player said he was delighted to have won major individual and team honors with clubs in three different countries.

"This is what I work for, this is what moves me and this is what I'll always keep chasing for until the last day," added Ronaldo, who did not play in their 4-1 win over Bologna on the final day.

"Thanks to everyone who took part in this journey. We stand together."

The club declined to comment on the post.

Cristiano Ronaldo said he has realised one of the goals he set for himself when he joined Juventus in 2018 and valued everything the club had achieved this season despite their run of nine straight Serie A title coming to an end.

Cristiano Ronaldo said he has realised one of the goals he set for himself when he joined Juventus in 2018 and valued everything the club had achieved this season despite their run of nine straight Serie A title coming to an end. Ronaldo, 36, has one year remaining on his contract at Juventus but there has been a flurry of media speculation that the Portuguese forward could be leaving in the summer. Juventus were deposed as champions by Inter Milan and only climbed into the top four on the final day of the campaign on Sunday (May 23) to secure Champions League qualification. "This year we couldn't win Serie A, congratulations to Inter for the well-deserved title. However, I have to value everything that we achieved this season at Juventus, both in collective and individual terms," Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram post on Monday, May 24. "The Italian Super Cup, Italian Cup and Serie A top scorer trophy fill me with happiness, mainly due to the difficulty they carry with them, in a country where nothing is easy to win. "With these achievements, I reached a goal I had set myself since the first day I arrived in Italy: to win the championship, the Cup and the Super Cup, and also to be Best Player and Top Scorer in this great football country filled with tremendous players, giant clubs and a very own football culture." The 36-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid player said he was delighted to have won major individual and team honors with clubs in three different countries. "This is what I work for, this is what moves me and this is what I'll always keep chasing for until the last day," added Ronaldo, who did not play in their 4-1 win over Bologna on the final day. "Thanks to everyone who took part in this journey. We stand together." The club declined to comment on the post.

Football: Cristiano Ronaldo says achieved his goal at Juventus

Juventus qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the season on Sunday with a 4-1 win at Bologna and were joined by AC Milan who beat Atalanta 2-0.

Napoli had to settle for a Europa League spot, finishing fifth, one point behind Juventus, after a 1-1 draw at home against Hellas Verona.

A pair of Franck Kessie penalities at the end of either half ensured AC Milan finished the season second -- 12 points behind city rivals Inter Milan -- and return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2013-2014 season.

"We deserved the Champions League as well as second place," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli whose side had missed the chance to seal their berth last weekend against Cagliari.

"We went through the whole championship at the top, unfortunately we had thrown away the match point last Sunday.

"I'm really excited, happy, I have to thank the club because they made us work in a spectacular way."

Atalanta had already ensured a third consecutive season of Champions League football but missed out on a first second-place Serie A finish days after losing out in the Coppa Italia final to Juventus.

Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench by Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo who opted for an attacking line-up of Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata flanked by Federico Chiesa and Dejan Kulusevski.

"It was a shared choice, Ronaldo was tired after the fatigue on Wednesday," said Pirlo.&nbsp;

"He made himself available to the team but I chose to have another player named Morata play, who is not the latest arrival. I have a quality team, with many choices available."

A Morata brace along with goals from Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot prevented Juventus missing out on the elite European competition for the first time since 2012.

In Naples, Amir Rrahmani scored for Napoli after an hour against his former club, which would have been enough to secure a berth at the top table but Davide Faraoni pulled one back for the visitors nine minutes.

Gennaro Gattuso's side were denied a return to elite European action after also missing out last season.

In a tense game in Bergamo, Milan held on despite playing without injured star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Kessie proved solid in front of goal taking the first penalty three minutes before the break and the second deep into injury time.

Lazio join Napoli in the Europa League despite a 2-0 loss at Sassuolo with Roma finishing seventh after coming from two goals down to hold Spezia 2-2.

In Bologna, Italy forward Chiesa, who scored the Coppa Italia winner midweek, finishing off a Kulusevski cross into the box from close range after six minutes for his 15th goal in all competitions this season.

Dybala set up Morata to nod in the second before the half-hour mark with Rabiot adding a third before the break at the Stadio Dall'Ara.

Morata got the second just after the interval latching onto a ball Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny blasted up the pitch.

The Spaniard controlled the ball and raced forward to finish off.

Riccardo Orsolini pulled a goal back for Bologna past Juve's third-choice goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio who got his first outing this season coming on for Szczesny for the final quarter of an hour.

Earlier Inter Milan were presented with their first trophy in 11 years after a 5-1 win over Udinese in their final game in the San Siro.

Antonio Conte's side had sealed their 19th 'Scudetto' with four games to spare and were able to play their final game of the season with 1,000 celebrating supporters.

Outside more than 4,000 had gathered from early in the morning with fireworks and flares, greeting the team bus with chants and cheers.

Ashley Young struck after eight minutes with Christian Eriksen, Lautaro Martinez, Ivan Perisic and Romelu Lukaku also all on target.

Juventus qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the season on Sunday with a 4-1 win at Bologna and were joined by AC Milan who beat Atalanta 2-0.

Juventus qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the season on Sunday with a 4-1 win at Bologna and were joined by AC Milan who beat Atalanta 2-0. Napoli had to settle for a Europa League spot, finishing fifth, one point behind Juventus, after a 1-1 draw at home against Hellas Verona. A pair of Franck Kessie penalities at the end of either half ensured AC Milan finished the season second -- 12 points behind city rivals Inter Milan -- and return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2013-2014 season. "We deserved the Champions League as well as second place," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli whose side had missed the chance to seal their berth last weekend against Cagliari. "We went through the whole championship at the top, unfortunately we had thrown away the match point last Sunday. "I'm really excited, happy, I have to thank the club because they made us work in a spectacular way." Atalanta had already ensured a third consecutive season of Champions League football but missed out on a first second-place Serie A finish days after losing out in the Coppa Italia final to Juventus. Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench by Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo who opted for an attacking line-up of Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata flanked by Federico Chiesa and Dejan Kulusevski. "It was a shared choice, Ronaldo was tired after the fatigue on Wednesday," said Pirlo. "He made himself available to the team but I chose to have another player named Morata play, who is not the latest arrival. I have a quality team, with many choices available." A Morata brace along with goals from Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot prevented Juventus missing out on the elite European competition for the first time since 2012. In Naples, Amir Rrahmani scored for Napoli after an hour against his former club, which would have been enough to secure a berth at the top table but Davide Faraoni pulled one back for the visitors nine minutes. Gennaro Gattuso's side were denied a return to elite European action after also missing out last season. In a tense game in Bergamo, Milan held on despite playing without injured star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Kessie proved solid in front of goal taking the first penalty three minutes before the break and the second deep into injury time. Lazio join Napoli in the Europa League despite a 2-0 loss at Sassuolo with Roma finishing seventh after coming from two goals down to hold Spezia 2-2. In Bologna, Italy forward Chiesa, who scored the Coppa Italia winner midweek, finishing off a Kulusevski cross into the box from close range after six minutes for his 15th goal in all competitions this season. Dybala set up Morata to nod in the second before the half-hour mark with Rabiot adding a third before the break at the Stadio Dall'Ara. Morata got the second just after the interval latching onto a ball Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny blasted up the pitch. The Spaniard controlled the ball and raced forward to finish off. Riccardo Orsolini pulled a goal back for Bologna past Juve's third-choice goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio who got his first outing this season coming on for Szczesny for the final quarter of an hour. Earlier Inter Milan were presented with their first trophy in 11 years after a 5-1 win over Udinese in their final game in the San Siro. Antonio Conte's side had sealed their 19th 'Scudetto' with four games to spare and were able to play their final game of the season with 1,000 celebrating supporters. Outside more than 4,000 had gathered from early in the morning with fireworks and flares, greeting the team bus with chants and cheers. Ashley Young struck after eight minutes with Christian Eriksen, Lautaro Martinez, Ivan Perisic and Romelu Lukaku also all on target.

Football: Juventus and AC Milan qualify for Champions League, Napoli miss out

Andrea Pirlo has revealed the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo's exclusion from their starting XI in the 4-1 win over Bologna. Talking after the game, Andrea Pirlo was asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's surprising exit from the playing XI as the Portuguese star warmed the bench for the entire 90 minutes.&nbsp;

The Juventus manager uncovered the choice not to pick Cristiano Ronaldo was a mutual one between the player and the club's staff. In such a manner, Andrea Pirlo said:

“It was a shared decision, Ronaldo was tired after Wednesday’s game, so I decided to start Morata, another great player. Ronaldo was available, I have a deep squad, and I can pick many different players.”

The choice to leave out Cristiano Ronaldo in ostensibly Juventus' most significant game this season was a strange one. With Champions League qualification on the line, Andrea Pirlo's call additionally brought up issue stamps over Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Juventus.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus future has been the subject of discussion since the time the Old Lady hit a fix of helpless form. Many anticipated the Portuguese star would move to greener fields if Juventus neglected to meet all requirements for next season's Champions League.&nbsp;

In any case, with Champions League capability tied down because of Hellas Verona's 1-1 draw against Napoli, the Juventus chain of importance will trust Cristiano Ronaldo stays in Turin for at any rate another season.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-who-will-challenge-for-man-citys-premier-league-crown-next-season-387037" hreflang="en">Football: Who will challenge for Man City's Premier League crown next season?</a>

Andrea Pirlo was justifiably satisfied with Juventus' qualification for the Champions League.&nbsp;

“For me, it was important to finish the job, winning the Coppa Italia and qualifying for the Champions League, which was a very important target," Pirlo said. &nbsp;

The 42-year-old Italian manager is positive he will get another season at Juventus following a Coppa Italia title and a top-four finish in Serie A.“I’ve always put in the total commitment, and this is the result. Those who must decide about my future will do it. I see myself on the Juve bench next season, I would confirm myself, but now we must enjoy what we have achieved," he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-juventus-and-ac-milan-qualify-for-champions-league-napoli-miss-out-387023" hreflang="en">Football: Juventus and AC Milan qualify for Champions League, Napoli miss out</a>

Indeed, even with a UCL spot on the line, Cristiano Ronaldo was the idea all through Juventus' clash with Bologna. Andrea Pirlo additionally ruled against utilizing him as a substitute.&nbsp;

Alvaro Morata, who began instead of Cristiano Ronaldo, scored two goals as Juventus easily crushed Bologna.&nbsp;

Regardless of Andrea Pirlo's idea that the choice to drop Cristiano Ronaldo was mutual, there are continually going to be tales encompassing the Portuguese's future. The 36-year-old has been connected with his previous sides Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon. 
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Andrea Pirlo has revealed the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo's exclusion from their starting XI in the 4-1 win over Bologna. Talking after the game, Andrea Pirlo was asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's surprising exit from the playing XI as the Portuguese star warmed the bench for the entire 90 minutes.

Andrea Pirlo has revealed the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo's exclusion from their starting XI in the 4-1 win over Bologna. Talking after the game, Andrea Pirlo was asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's surprising exit from the playing XI as the Portuguese star warmed the bench for the entire 90 minutes. The Juventus manager uncovered the choice not to pick Cristiano Ronaldo was a mutual one between the player and the club's staff. In such a manner, Andrea Pirlo said: “It was a shared decision, Ronaldo was tired after Wednesday’s game, so I decided to start Morata, another great player. Ronaldo was available, I have a deep squad, and I can pick many different players.” The choice to leave out Cristiano Ronaldo in ostensibly Juventus' most significant game this season was a strange one. With Champions League qualification on the line, Andrea Pirlo's call additionally brought up issue stamps over Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Juventus. Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus future has been the subject of discussion since the time the Old Lady hit a fix of helpless form. Many anticipated the Portuguese star would move to greener fields if Juventus neglected to meet all requirements for next season's Champions League. In any case, with Champions League capability tied down because of Hellas Verona's 1-1 draw against Napoli, the Juventus chain of importance will trust Cristiano Ronaldo stays in Turin for at any rate another season. ALSO READ: Football: Who will challenge for Man City's Premier League crown next season? Andrea Pirlo was justifiably satisfied with Juventus' qualification for the Champions League. “For me, it was important to finish the job, winning the Coppa Italia and qualifying for the Champions League, which was a very important target," Pirlo said. The 42-year-old Italian manager is positive he will get another season at Juventus following a Coppa Italia title and a top-four finish in Serie A.“I’ve always put in the total commitment, and this is the result. Those who must decide about my future will do it. I see myself on the Juve bench next season, I would confirm myself, but now we must enjoy what we have achieved," he added. ALSO READ: Football: Juventus and AC Milan qualify for Champions League, Napoli miss out Indeed, even with a UCL spot on the line, Cristiano Ronaldo was the idea all through Juventus' clash with Bologna. Andrea Pirlo additionally ruled against utilizing him as a substitute. Alvaro Morata, who began instead of Cristiano Ronaldo, scored two goals as Juventus easily crushed Bologna. Regardless of Andrea Pirlo's idea that the choice to drop Cristiano Ronaldo was mutual, there are continually going to be tales encompassing the Portuguese's future. The 36-year-old has been connected with his previous sides Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon.

Football: Andrea Pirlo explains Cristiano Ronaldo omission against Bologna

Football: From Messi to Lewandowski: Single season top-scorers in Europe's five main leagues

Juventus’ 3-2 win over champions Inter Milan in the 'Derby of Italy' kept their Champions League qualification hopes alive, but the game was overshadowed by a string of contentious refereeing decisions.

Referee Gianpaolo Calvarese awarded two penalties to Juventus and one to Inter and sent off players from both teams, Rodrigo Bentancur and Marcelo Brozovic.

Tensions ran high at the end of the match, when Inter’s 83rd-minute equalizer was ruled out for a foul before the decision was overturned following a VAR review, only for Juve to almost immediately regain the lead when they were awarded and converted a penalty.

The various decisions sparked a huge debate in the media, while Brozovic reacted on social media by calling it a “scandalous match”.

Juve captain Chiellini was later fined 1,500 euros for his protests to Calvarese during the game, while Inter assistant manager Cristian Stellini said at full-time: “the episodes are so clear and evident that it is useless to even comment on them”.

Juventus remain fifth, one point behind Milan in third and Napoli in fourth ahead of the final round.

Milan squandered the chance to book a place in the Champions League for the first time since 2013-14 as they stuttered to a 0-0 draw at home to Cagliari.

They face a tricky trip to Atalanta on the final day, while Napoli host Hellas Verona and Juve go to Bologna.

ATALANTA SECURE TOP-FOUR SPOT

Atalanta became the first club to join Inter in the Champions League next season after a typically entertaining 4-3 win over Genoa made it impossible for fifth-placed Juventus to catch them due to the Turin club’s worse head-to-head record.

It was another remarkable achievement for the small Bergamo club, who will grace the competition for a third consecutive season despite having the 11th-highest wage budget in the division.

“It was difficult to think that we would reach the Champions League three years in a row, especially this season, because repeating the feat is never easy,” coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Italia.

“The team had a great reaction from December onwards, despite very tough competition. This year feels even better than the others because it was the most difficult.”

INZAGHI NEEDS BROTHERLY LOVE

Filippo Inzaghi’s Benevento is perilously close to being relegated after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to draw 1-1 against already-demoted Crotone.

Spezia and Cagliari’s top-flight security is now safe ahead of the final day of the season, but Inzaghi needs help from his brother Simone, coach of Lazio, to keep Benevento’s hopes of overtaking Torino alive.

Torino, in 17th, are three points ahead of Benevento below them but have a game in hand to come away to Lazio on Tuesday, where a draw would be enough for them to stay up.

If they lose, it will come down to a final-day clash between Torino and Benevento in Turin.

“Lazio will play their game, as Crotone did today despite being relegated. Unfortunately, it is no longer up to us,” Inzaghi said.

Juventus’ 3-2 win over champions Inter Milan in the 'Derby of Italy' kept their Champions League qualification hopes alive, but the game was overshadowed by a string of contentious refereeing decisions.

Juventus’ 3-2 win over champions Inter Milan in the 'Derby of Italy' kept their Champions League qualification hopes alive, but the game was overshadowed by a string of contentious refereeing decisions. Referee Gianpaolo Calvarese awarded two penalties to Juventus and one to Inter and sent off players from both teams, Rodrigo Bentancur and Marcelo Brozovic. Tensions ran high at the end of the match, when Inter’s 83rd-minute equalizer was ruled out for a foul before the decision was overturned following a VAR review, only for Juve to almost immediately regain the lead when they were awarded and converted a penalty. The various decisions sparked a huge debate in the media, while Brozovic reacted on social media by calling it a “scandalous match”. Juve captain Chiellini was later fined 1,500 euros for his protests to Calvarese during the game, while Inter assistant manager Cristian Stellini said at full-time: “the episodes are so clear and evident that it is useless to even comment on them”. Juventus remain fifth, one point behind Milan in third and Napoli in fourth ahead of the final round. Milan squandered the chance to book a place in the Champions League for the first time since 2013-14 as they stuttered to a 0-0 draw at home to Cagliari. They face a tricky trip to Atalanta on the final day, while Napoli host Hellas Verona and Juve go to Bologna. ATALANTA SECURE TOP-FOUR SPOT Atalanta became the first club to join Inter in the Champions League next season after a typically entertaining 4-3 win over Genoa made it impossible for fifth-placed Juventus to catch them due to the Turin club’s worse head-to-head record. It was another remarkable achievement for the small Bergamo club, who will grace the competition for a third consecutive season despite having the 11th-highest wage budget in the division. “It was difficult to think that we would reach the Champions League three years in a row, especially this season, because repeating the feat is never easy,” coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Italia. “The team had a great reaction from December onwards, despite very tough competition. This year feels even better than the others because it was the most difficult.” INZAGHI NEEDS BROTHERLY LOVE Filippo Inzaghi’s Benevento is perilously close to being relegated after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to draw 1-1 against already-demoted Crotone. Spezia and Cagliari’s top-flight security is now safe ahead of the final day of the season, but Inzaghi needs help from his brother Simone, coach of Lazio, to keep Benevento’s hopes of overtaking Torino alive. Torino, in 17th, are three points ahead of Benevento below them but have a game in hand to come away to Lazio on Tuesday, where a draw would be enough for them to stay up. If they lose, it will come down to a final-day clash between Torino and Benevento in Turin. “Lazio will play their game, as Crotone did today despite being relegated. Unfortunately, it is no longer up to us,” Inzaghi said.

Talking points from the weekend in Serie A

Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne scored to help his side beat 10-man Fiorentina 2-0 and move into provisional third place in the Serie A table on Sunday as they chase a Champions League spot.

The win leaves Gennaro Gattuso’s side on 76 points, one point ahead of AC Milan and Juventus in fourth and fifth respectively, before Milan host Cagliari later on Sunday.

Napoli will be guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League if they win their final game of the season at home to Hellas Verona next Sunday.

Juve had beaten champions Inter Milan on Saturday to move above Napoli, who therefore travelled to Florence needing a victory to ensure they would go into the final round of fixtures in one of the four Champions League qualifying positions.

Napoli were frustrated by the 13th-placed hosts in the first half as goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano kept out Piotr Zielinski's strike and Insigne’s free-kick rattled the bar, while Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic had a header ruled out for offside.

The breakthrough came after 57 minutes when Napoli were awarded a penalty for a shirt pull at a corner following a VAR review, and Viola substitute Bartlomiej Dragowski was shown a straight red card for protesting the decision.

Insigne’s tame spot kick was saved but he fired home the rebound, and the Italy winger was close to a second when denied by the woodwork again with a low shot that struck the post.

Napoli doubled their advantage on the 67th minute when Insigne laid off a pass to Zielinski, whose first-time strike took a big deflection off Lorenzo Venuti on its way in and was awarded as an own goal to wrap up the points.

Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne scored to help his side beat 10-man Fiorentina 2-0 and move into provisional third place in the Serie A table on Sunday as they chase a Champions League spot.

Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne scored to help his side beat 10-man Fiorentina 2-0 and move into provisional third place in the Serie A table on Sunday as they chase a Champions League spot. The win leaves Gennaro Gattuso’s side on 76 points, one point ahead of AC Milan and Juventus in fourth and fifth respectively, before Milan host Cagliari later on Sunday. Napoli will be guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League if they win their final game of the season at home to Hellas Verona next Sunday. Juve had beaten champions Inter Milan on Saturday to move above Napoli, who therefore travelled to Florence needing a victory to ensure they would go into the final round of fixtures in one of the four Champions League qualifying positions. Napoli were frustrated by the 13th-placed hosts in the first half as goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano kept out Piotr Zielinski's strike and Insigne’s free-kick rattled the bar, while Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic had a header ruled out for offside. The breakthrough came after 57 minutes when Napoli were awarded a penalty for a shirt pull at a corner following a VAR review, and Viola substitute Bartlomiej Dragowski was shown a straight red card for protesting the decision. Insigne’s tame spot kick was saved but he fired home the rebound, and the Italy winger was close to a second when denied by the woodwork again with a low shot that struck the post. Napoli doubled their advantage on the 67th minute when Insigne laid off a pass to Zielinski, whose first-time strike took a big deflection off Lorenzo Venuti on its way in and was awarded as an own goal to wrap up the points.

Napoli tighten grip on top-four spot with Fiorentina win

Juventus are gearing up to face Serie A champions Inter Milan in the penultimate game of their season.

The Bianconeri cannot afford to drop any more points if they want to finish in the top four and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Andrea Pirlo's men are currently 5th in the league, one point behind Napoli in 4th place. The Italian manager knows his future depends on Juventus' rivals dropping points in their next two games. However, he will have to make sure that the Bianconeri win both their games to avoid a disastrous end to the season.

With all that in mind, here is the latest&nbsp;news on Juventus.

Andrea Pirlo has expressed that he was satisfied with Juventus' presentation in the 3-1 win against Sassuolo in midweek and has called for business as usual when they take on Inter Milan.&nbsp;

Tending to the media in front of the Bianconeri's match against the Nerazzurri on Saturday, the Italian said:

“I liked the attitude on Wednesday, we needed to regroup after the match against Milan and we were compact. Having seen the performance on Wednesday suggests that we are sorry, we could have had more points by always remaining as focused as in - Reggio Emilia."

“At the end of the year, we will review the whole season, analyzing the mistakes to not commit them again. When you train, you have to measure your own idea of the game with the players, adapting to their characteristics and understanding how to put them on the pitch, in the positions where they can perform more" - he added

"Alex Sandro plays tomorrow because he’s disqualified for the Coppa Italia Final. For the others, we will see, we must recover energy. Federico Chiesa is getting better and better, I think he’ll be available tomorrow night. Merih Demiral is available, he could start the match."

Juventus are purportedly near agreeing to sign AC Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu this mid-year as Andrea Pirlo hopes to upgrade his midfield. The 27-year-old midfielder will turn into a free agent in June and presently can't seem to go to an understanding over an agreement expansion at Milan. 
&nbsp;

Juventus are gearing up to face Serie A champions Inter Milan in the penultimate game of their season. The Bianconeri cannot afford to drop any more points if they want to finish in the top four and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Juventus are gearing up to face Serie A champions Inter Milan in the penultimate game of their season. The Bianconeri cannot afford to drop any more points if they want to finish in the top four and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Andrea Pirlo's men are currently 5th in the league, one point behind Napoli in 4th place. The Italian manager knows his future depends on Juventus' rivals dropping points in their next two games. However, he will have to make sure that the Bianconeri win both their games to avoid a disastrous end to the season. With all that in mind, here is the latest news on Juventus. Andrea Pirlo has expressed that he was satisfied with Juventus' presentation in the 3-1 win against Sassuolo in midweek and has called for business as usual when they take on Inter Milan. Tending to the media in front of the Bianconeri's match against the Nerazzurri on Saturday, the Italian said: “I liked the attitude on Wednesday, we needed to regroup after the match against Milan and we were compact. Having seen the performance on Wednesday suggests that we are sorry, we could have had more points by always remaining as focused as in - Reggio Emilia." “At the end of the year, we will review the whole season, analyzing the mistakes to not commit them again. When you train, you have to measure your own idea of the game with the players, adapting to their characteristics and understanding how to put them on the pitch, in the positions where they can perform more" - he added "Alex Sandro plays tomorrow because he’s disqualified for the Coppa Italia Final. For the others, we will see, we must recover energy. Federico Chiesa is getting better and better, I think he’ll be available tomorrow night. Merih Demiral is available, he could start the match." Juventus are purportedly near agreeing to sign AC Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu this mid-year as Andrea Pirlo hopes to upgrade his midfield. The 27-year-old midfielder will turn into a free agent in June and presently can't seem to go to an understanding over an agreement expansion at Milan.

Andrea Pirlo speaks ahead of the penultimate game against Inter Milan

Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo did not have a great first season with the club as the Turin side are struggling to secure even a Champions League spot. However, former Juve star feels that his side can redeem the title loss to Inter by securing the top four spot.&nbsp;

Pirlo's side are fifth in the league table after securing just five wins in the last 10 matches. The only hope left for the team is to secure 3 points against Inter in the upcoming clash.&nbsp;

"Congratulations to Inter for the Scudetto, but we could have done more," Pirlo told a news conference on Friday.

"Inter have done better, have been more consistent and hungrier than us. There are some regrets for the players I didn't have available, but regret is part of the ambition.

"To see our opponents as Italian champions tomorrow must give us more motivation. Let's also not forget that we have a chance to qualify for the Champions League."

Juve lost 3-0 to AC Milan, however, they bounced back to winning ways after beating Sassuolo (on Wednesday) by 3-1.&nbsp;

"The performance suggests we could have had more points by always remaining as focused as we did at Sassuolo," Pirlo said.

"At the end of the year, we will review the whole season, analysing the mistakes to not commit them again."

(Inputs from Reuters)

Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo did not have a great first season with the club as the Turin side are struggling to secure even a Champions League spot. However, former Juve star feels that his side can redeem the title loss to Inter by securing the top four spot.

Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo did not have a great first season with the club as the Turin side are struggling to secure even a Champions League spot. However, former Juve star feels that his side can redeem the title loss to Inter by securing the top four spot. Pirlo's side are fifth in the league table after securing just five wins in the last 10 matches. The only hope left for the team is to secure 3 points against Inter in the upcoming clash. "Congratulations to Inter for the Scudetto, but we could have done more," Pirlo told a news conference on Friday. "Inter have done better, have been more consistent and hungrier than us. There are some regrets for the players I didn't have available, but regret is part of the ambition. "To see our opponents as Italian champions tomorrow must give us more motivation. Let's also not forget that we have a chance to qualify for the Champions League." Juve lost 3-0 to AC Milan, however, they bounced back to winning ways after beating Sassuolo (on Wednesday) by 3-1. "The performance suggests we could have had more points by always remaining as focused as we did at Sassuolo," Pirlo said. "At the end of the year, we will review the whole season, analysing the mistakes to not commit them again." (Inputs from Reuters)

'We could have done more': Andrea Pirlo feels Juve can redeem themselves by securing CL spot

Gianluigi Buffon said Tuesday that he will bring the curtain down on his time at Juventus after nearly two decades at the end of the season, but will look to prolong his trophy-filled career elsewhere at the age of 43.

Former Italy captain Buffon is an iconic figure in Italian football, one of the stars of the Azzurri's 2006 World Cup triumph who racked up a record 176 caps for his country.

However he has been behind Wojciech Szczesny&nbsp;in the goalkeeping pecking order since returning to Juve from a short spell at Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and has made just 12 appearances in all competitions this season.

"My future is clear, at the end of the season I'm leaving Juve, and then I will either find something that stimulates me or I will quit the game," he said in an interview with BeIN Sport.

"I have both given and received everything at Juventus, but we have come to the end of a cycle and it's only right that I put an end to any confusion (over his future)."

Buffon, who holds the record for Serie A appearances, has won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus since joining in 2001, as well as five Italian Cups and second-tier Serie B in 2007 after they were relegated in the aftermath of the 'Calciopoli' match-fixing scandal.

He also won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain in 2018-2019 before returning to the Turin giants, and the UEFA Cup back in 1999 with Parma, where he began his career as a teenager in 1995.

However he has never won the Champions League after losing finals with Juve in 2003, 2015 and 2017.

Gianluigi Buffon said Tuesday that he will bring the curtain down on his time at Juventus after nearly two decades at the end of the season, but will look to prolong his trophy-filled career elsewhere at the age of 43.

Gianluigi Buffon said Tuesday that he will bring the curtain down on his time at Juventus after nearly two decades at the end of the season, but will look to prolong his trophy-filled career elsewhere at the age of 43. Former Italy captain Buffon is an iconic figure in Italian football, one of the stars of the Azzurri's 2006 World Cup triumph who racked up a record 176 caps for his country. However he has been behind Wojciech Szczesny in the goalkeeping pecking order since returning to Juve from a short spell at Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and has made just 12 appearances in all competitions this season. "My future is clear, at the end of the season I'm leaving Juve, and then I will either find something that stimulates me or I will quit the game," he said in an interview with BeIN Sport. "I have both given and received everything at Juventus, but we have come to the end of a cycle and it's only right that I put an end to any confusion (over his future)." Buffon, who holds the record for Serie A appearances, has won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus since joining in 2001, as well as five Italian Cups and second-tier Serie B in 2007 after they were relegated in the aftermath of the 'Calciopoli' match-fixing scandal. He also won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain in 2018-2019 before returning to the Turin giants, and the UEFA Cup back in 1999 with Parma, where he began his career as a teenager in 1995. However he has never won the Champions League after losing finals with Juve in 2003, 2015 and 2017.

Buffon to quit Juventus at end of season

Italian footballing giants Juventus face being kicked out of Serie A if the club do not withdraw from the controversial European Super League, Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina has said.<o:p></o:p>

While AC Milan and Inter pulled out of the breakaway competition along with English Premier League clubs, Juventus continue to persist with the plans of ESL.<o:p></o:p>

"The rules are clear. If Juventus is still part of the Super League when it enters next season, it can't participate in Serie A," Gravina told Naples radio station Kiss Kiss.

"I would be sorry for the fans but rules are rules and they apply to everyone. I hope this holdout ends."

<o:p></o:p>

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On Saturday, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – three clubs still part of ESL – lashed out at the “intolerable” pressure and threats to abandon the ESL but vowed to stay with the idea despite its rejection from the fans and stakeholders. <o:p></o:p>

Three ESL clubs of the original 12 issued a joint statement on the weekend while defending their move to create the ESL and expressed “regret” at seeing others recommit to the UEFA on Friday.<o:p></o:p>

The three clubs – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – are also set to face “appropriate action” by UEFA for their role in the ESL.<o:p></o:p>

Their statement read: "The founding clubs have suffered, and continue to suffer, unacceptable third-party pressures, threats, and offenses to abandon the project and therefore desist from their right and duty to provide solutions to the football ecosystem via concrete proposals and constructive dialogue.<o:p></o:p>

"This is intolerable under the rule of law and tribunals have already ruled in favour of the Super League proposal, ordering FIFA and UEFA to, either directly or through their affiliated bodies, refrain from taking any action which may hinder this initiative in any way while court proceedings are pending.<o:p></o:p>

"The Super League project was designed jointly by its 12 founding clubs with the aim of providing solutions to the current unsustainable situation in the football industry. The 12 founding clubs shared the same concerns as other stakeholders in European football do, particularly under the current socio-economic context, that structural reforms are indispensable to ensure our sport stays appealing and survives in the long-term.<o:p></o:p>

"(The Super League project was designed jointly by its 12 founding clubs also) with the utmost respect for the current football structures and ecosystem. The founding clubs expressly agreed that the Super League would only take place if such a competition was recognised by UEFA and/or FIFA or if, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, it was deemed to be a competition duly compatible for all purposes with the continuity of the founding clubs in their respective domestic competitions.” <o:p></o:p>

Italian footballing giants Juventus face being kicked out of Serie A if the club do not withdraw from the controversial European Super League, Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina has said.

Italian footballing giants Juventus face being kicked out of Serie A if the club do not withdraw from the controversial European Super League, Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina has said. While AC Milan and Inter pulled out of the breakaway competition along with English Premier League clubs, Juventus continue to persist with the plans of ESL. "The rules are clear. If Juventus is still part of the Super League when it enters next season, it can't participate in Serie A," Gravina told Naples radio station Kiss Kiss. "I would be sorry for the fans but rules are rules and they apply to everyone. I hope this holdout ends." × On Saturday, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – three clubs still part of ESL – lashed out at the “intolerable” pressure and threats to abandon the ESL but vowed to stay with the idea despite its rejection from the fans and stakeholders. Three ESL clubs of the original 12 issued a joint statement on the weekend while defending their move to create the ESL and expressed “regret” at seeing others recommit to the UEFA on Friday. The three clubs – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – are also set to face “appropriate action” by UEFA for their role in the ESL. Their statement read: "The founding clubs have suffered, and continue to suffer, unacceptable third-party pressures, threats, and offenses to abandon the project and therefore desist from their right and duty to provide solutions to the football ecosystem via concrete proposals and constructive dialogue. "This is intolerable under the rule of law and tribunals have already ruled in favour of the Super League proposal, ordering FIFA and UEFA to, either directly or through their affiliated bodies, refrain from taking any action which may hinder this initiative in any way while court proceedings are pending. "The Super League project was designed jointly by its 12 founding clubs with the aim of providing solutions to the current unsustainable situation in the football industry. The 12 founding clubs shared the same concerns as other stakeholders in European football do, particularly under the current socio-economic context, that structural reforms are indispensable to ensure our sport stays appealing and survives in the long-term. "(The Super League project was designed jointly by its 12 founding clubs also) with the utmost respect for the current football structures and ecosystem. The founding clubs expressly agreed that the Super League would only take place if such a competition was recognised by UEFA and/or FIFA or if, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, it was deemed to be a competition duly compatible for all purposes with the continuity of the founding clubs in their respective domestic competitions.”

Juventus face Serie A omission if ESL plans persist: Italian FA president

A double from Fiorentina's in-form Dusan Vlahovic ensured Lazio missed the chance to close the gap on the Serie A top four as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat away on Saturday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-captain-sergio-ramos-suffers-hamstring-injury-383723" hreflang="en">Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos suffers hamstring injury</a>

The Serbian striker, who has been linked with a move to a host of top clubs around Europe, edged Fiorentina in front with his 20th league goal of the season in the 36th minute.

The hosts were good value for their lead as other than a superb Bartlomiej Dragowski save to deny Joaquin Correa, the visitors did not muster another shot on target in the opening period.

As Lazio pressed for a leveller, Vlahovic headed home his ninth league goal in his last seven appearances late on to inflict a damaging defeat on the side from Rome, leaving them on 65 points, four behind Juventus, who play on Sunday, in fourth.

To compound a miserable evening for Lazio, Andreas Pereira was sent off in stoppage time for two bookable offences.

A much-needed victory for Fiorentina saw them climb to 13th, seven points clear of the relegation zone.

A double from Fiorentina's in-form Dusan Vlahovic ensured Lazio missed the chance to close the gap on the Serie A top four as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat away on Saturday.

A double from Fiorentina's in-form Dusan Vlahovic ensured Lazio missed the chance to close the gap on the Serie A top four as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat away on Saturday. ALSO READ: Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos suffers hamstring injury The Serbian striker, who has been linked with a move to a host of top clubs around Europe, edged Fiorentina in front with his 20th league goal of the season in the 36th minute. The hosts were good value for their lead as other than a superb Bartlomiej Dragowski save to deny Joaquin Correa, the visitors did not muster another shot on target in the opening period. As Lazio pressed for a leveller, Vlahovic headed home his ninth league goal in his last seven appearances late on to inflict a damaging defeat on the side from Rome, leaving them on 65 points, four behind Juventus, who play on Sunday, in fourth. To compound a miserable evening for Lazio, Andreas Pereira was sent off in stoppage time for two bookable offences. A much-needed victory for Fiorentina saw them climb to 13th, seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Lazio miss chance to close gap on top four after loss at Fiorentina

Italian giants AS Roma on Tuesday named Jose Mourinho as their new manager for the 2021-22 season while confirming that current head coach Paulo Fonseca will leave the club at the end of the season.<o:p></o:p>

AS Roma aren’t having the best of seasons in the Italian top-flight with the club lying seventh in the points table with 16 wins in 34 matches so far in the ongoing 2020-21 season. Roma have 55 points under their belt but will hope to have a much better season with the Portuguese in charge of the club.<o:p></o:p>

Mourinho was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the season after the London club witnessed a slump in form after December. Before December, Tottenham were atop the Premier League standings but continued to slide with a poor run of results.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-europa-league-final-in-gdansk-to-host-up-to-9500-spectators-382669" hreflang="en">UEFA Europa League final in Gdansk to host up to 9,500 spectators</a>

“The club are delighted to announce an agreement has been reached with Jose Mourinho for him to become our new head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season,” AS Roma took to social media platform Twitter to announce the signing.

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𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 🤝 
 
The club are delighted to announce an agreement has been reached with Jose Mourinho for him to become our new head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season. 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASRoma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASRoma</a> <a href="https://t.co/f5YGGIVFJp">pic.twitter.com/f5YGGIVFJp</a>
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASRomaEN/status/1389567974097530881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“The club can confirm that head coach Paulo Fonseca will leave at the end of the season,” the Italian club added in a separate tweet.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Mourinho has managed some of the biggest clubs in Europe and has had success everywhere barring Tottenham Hotspur. While Mourinho won almost everything with Inter Milan and Chelsea, he won laurels for Spanish giants Real Madrid. The Portuguese manager went on to win trophies for Manchester United before switching base to Tottenham Hotspur.<o:p></o:p>

Italian giants AS Roma on Tuesday named Jose Mourinho as their new manager for the 2021-22 season while confirming that current head coach Paulo Fonseca will leave the club at the end of the season.

Italian giants AS Roma on Tuesday named Jose Mourinho as their new manager for the 2021-22 season while confirming that current head coach Paulo Fonseca will leave the club at the end of the season. AS Roma aren’t having the best of seasons in the Italian top-flight with the club lying seventh in the points table with 16 wins in 34 matches so far in the ongoing 2020-21 season. Roma have 55 points under their belt but will hope to have a much better season with the Portuguese in charge of the club. Mourinho was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the season after the London club witnessed a slump in form after December. Before December, Tottenham were atop the Premier League standings but continued to slide with a poor run of results. ALSO READ: UEFA Europa League final in Gdansk to host up to 9,500 spectators “The club are delighted to announce an agreement has been reached with Jose Mourinho for him to become our new head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season,” AS Roma took to social media platform Twitter to announce the signing. 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 🤝 The club are delighted to announce an agreement has been reached with Jose Mourinho for him to become our new head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season. #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/f5YGGIVFJp — AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) May 4, 2021 × “The club can confirm that head coach Paulo Fonseca will leave at the end of the season,” the Italian club added in a separate tweet. Mourinho has managed some of the biggest clubs in Europe and has had success everywhere barring Tottenham Hotspur. While Mourinho won almost everything with Inter Milan and Chelsea, he won laurels for Spanish giants Real Madrid. The Portuguese manager went on to win trophies for Manchester United before switching base to Tottenham Hotspur.

Serie A: AS Roma announce Jose Mourinho as new manager

Inter Milan clinched the Serie A title for the first time since 2010 on Sunday when nearest rivals Atalanta were held 1-1 at Sassuolo.

Atalanta played most of the match a man down after goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini saw red after 22 minutes in the Mapei Stadium.

Luis Muriel missed a late penalty that could have given Atalanta a win that would have put Inter's celebrations on hold but the second-placed Bergamo side are now 13 points behind Inter with four games remaining.

Inter, who beat Crotone 2-0 on Saturday, needed Atalanta to drop points in Emilia-Romagna to claim the title.

Juventus have been denied a 10th straight league title and are now fighting for a Champions League spot.

Atalanta are equal on 69 points with third-placed AC Milan, who are two points ahead of Napoli.

Juventus are fifth before they play later Sunday at Udinese.

In Emilia-Romagna, Robin Gosens scored 10 minutes after Collini's sending off for bringing down Jeremie Boga.

Domenico Berardi pulled Sassuolo level from the penalty spot seven minutes after the break.

Sassuolo also played the final quarter of an hour a man down after Brazilian defender Marlon was sent off for a second yellow card.

But Sassuolo keeper Andrea Consigli denied Muriel.

Inter Milan clinched the Serie A title for the first time since 2010 on Sunday when nearest rivals Atalanta were held 1-1 at Sassuolo. Atalanta played most of the match a man down after goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini saw red after 22 minutes in the Mapei Stadium.

Inter Milan clinched the Serie A title for the first time since 2010 on Sunday when nearest rivals Atalanta were held 1-1 at Sassuolo. Atalanta played most of the match a man down after goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini saw red after 22 minutes in the Mapei Stadium. Luis Muriel missed a late penalty that could have given Atalanta a win that would have put Inter's celebrations on hold but the second-placed Bergamo side are now 13 points behind Inter with four games remaining. Inter, who beat Crotone 2-0 on Saturday, needed Atalanta to drop points in Emilia-Romagna to claim the title. Juventus have been denied a 10th straight league title and are now fighting for a Champions League spot. Atalanta are equal on 69 points with third-placed AC Milan, who are two points ahead of Napoli. Juventus are fifth before they play later Sunday at Udinese. In Emilia-Romagna, Robin Gosens scored 10 minutes after Collini's sending off for bringing down Jeremie Boga. Domenico Berardi pulled Sassuolo level from the penalty spot seven minutes after the break. Sassuolo also played the final quarter of an hour a man down after Brazilian defender Marlon was sent off for a second yellow card. But Sassuolo keeper Andrea Consigli denied Muriel.

Inter crowned Serie A champions for 19th time as Atalanta held

Christian Eriksen and Achraf Hakimi scored in the second half as Inter Milan beat Crotone 2-0 to move to the brink of the Serie A title on Saturday.

Antonio Conte's side are 13 points ahead of city rivals AC Milan who reclaimed second place with a 2-0 win over 18th-placed Benevento, with four games to play.

Inter can claim their first Scudetto since 2010 on Sunday if Atalanta, a further point adrift in third, fail to win at Sassuolo.

"We are succeeding in toppling a kingdom that had lasted for nine years," said former Juventus coach Conte, who led the Turin giants to the first three of their current run of nine consecutive league titles.

"We're aware that we can do something extraordinary because Inter haven't won a Scudetto in 11 years, and we're breaking up a dynasty. The lads deserve this joy, congratulations to them.

"We're a step away from making history."

Dane Eriksen came on as a substitute in the 65th minute and scored four minutes later, firing home a shot which took a deflection off Crotone defender Lisandro Magallan, from Romelu Lukaku's lay-off.

Lukaku had a goal ruled out before Hakimi struck a second in injury time.

"It's an important goal because it moves us closer to the title, but we still haven't won it yet," said Eriksen of just his second goal this campaign.&nbsp;

"If it proves to be the decisive goal, then obviously it'll be the most important one of the season. Every goal is important, but the one that takes you to your objective is extra special.

"Today, I came on as a substitute, and when you do this the aim is to make your mark: you want to shake things up. I'm happy that I managed to do so."

<h2>- Ibrahimovic return lifts Milan -</h2>

The match in Calabria pitted the Serie A leaders against the bottom team who were relegated as a result of the loss.

Both sides had chances in the first half with Adam Ounas threatening early for the hosts who lost defender Arkadiusz Reca to injury before the break.

Lukaku headed onto the post off a Stefano Sensi corner after 23 minutes.

There was a flurry of activity in front of the Crotone goal before the break with Alessandro Bastoni sending wide after connecting with a Nicolo Barella cross.

Lautaro Martinez's low shot hit the woodwork before home goalkeeper Alex Cordaz cleared a Sensi effort.

As Inter struggled to break through Conte sent on Eriksen, Ivan Perisic and Alexis Sanchez after 65 minutes.

And the substitutions paid off with Sanchez providing a back-heel flick for Lukaku who teed up Eriksen.

Lukaku missed a chance to add to his 21 goals this campaign with a goal ruled out with seven minutes to go for Perisic's offside position.

But Barella sent Moroccan Hakimi clear to beat Cordaz with his seventh goal this season to extend Inter's unbeaten run to 18 league games, and close to a 19th league crown.

"We'll watch the (Atalanta) game in our homes, in a serene way," continued Conte.&nbsp;

"For us what happens tomorrow is relative, we don't ask anything of anyone. We don't depend on others, especially after such a championship."

In the San Siro, Milan rallied from back-to-back defeats to move up from fifth to second and keep in the Champions League chase.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned from injury with Hakan Calhanoglu putting the home side ahead after six minutes following good work from Alexis Saelemaekers and Franck Kessie.

Benevento goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo got his foot to an Ibrahimovic goal-bound effort before the break, and again cleared from the Swede after the hour but Theo Hernandez was on hand to finish off the rebound.

Napoli are fourth equal on points with Juventus who drop to fifth before they play at Udinese on Sunday.

Inter could decide Juve's Champions League fate as they meet in the penultimate game in Turin in two weeks.

Christian Eriksen and Achraf Hakimi scored in the second half as Inter Milan beat Crotone 2-0 to move to the brink of the Serie A title on Saturday. Antonio Conte's side are 13 points ahead of city rivals AC Milan who reclaimed second place with a 2-0 win over 18th-placed Benevento, with four games to play.

Christian Eriksen and Achraf Hakimi scored in the second half as Inter Milan beat Crotone 2-0 to move to the brink of the Serie A title on Saturday. Antonio Conte's side are 13 points ahead of city rivals AC Milan who reclaimed second place with a 2-0 win over 18th-placed Benevento, with four games to play. Inter can claim their first Scudetto since 2010 on Sunday if Atalanta, a further point adrift in third, fail to win at Sassuolo. "We are succeeding in toppling a kingdom that had lasted for nine years," said former Juventus coach Conte, who led the Turin giants to the first three of their current run of nine consecutive league titles. "We're aware that we can do something extraordinary because Inter haven't won a Scudetto in 11 years, and we're breaking up a dynasty. The lads deserve this joy, congratulations to them. "We're a step away from making history." Dane Eriksen came on as a substitute in the 65th minute and scored four minutes later, firing home a shot which took a deflection off Crotone defender Lisandro Magallan, from Romelu Lukaku's lay-off. Lukaku had a goal ruled out before Hakimi struck a second in injury time. "It's an important goal because it moves us closer to the title, but we still haven't won it yet," said Eriksen of just his second goal this campaign. "If it proves to be the decisive goal, then obviously it'll be the most important one of the season. Every goal is important, but the one that takes you to your objective is extra special. "Today, I came on as a substitute, and when you do this the aim is to make your mark: you want to shake things up. I'm happy that I managed to do so." - Ibrahimovic return lifts Milan - The match in Calabria pitted the Serie A leaders against the bottom team who were relegated as a result of the loss. Both sides had chances in the first half with Adam Ounas threatening early for the hosts who lost defender Arkadiusz Reca to injury before the break. Lukaku headed onto the post off a Stefano Sensi corner after 23 minutes. There was a flurry of activity in front of the Crotone goal before the break with Alessandro Bastoni sending wide after connecting with a Nicolo Barella cross. Lautaro Martinez's low shot hit the woodwork before home goalkeeper Alex Cordaz cleared a Sensi effort. As Inter struggled to break through Conte sent on Eriksen, Ivan Perisic and Alexis Sanchez after 65 minutes. And the substitutions paid off with Sanchez providing a back-heel flick for Lukaku who teed up Eriksen. Lukaku missed a chance to add to his 21 goals this campaign with a goal ruled out with seven minutes to go for Perisic's offside position. But Barella sent Moroccan Hakimi clear to beat Cordaz with his seventh goal this season to extend Inter's unbeaten run to 18 league games, and close to a 19th league crown. "We'll watch the (Atalanta) game in our homes, in a serene way," continued Conte. "For us what happens tomorrow is relative, we don't ask anything of anyone. We don't depend on others, especially after such a championship." In the San Siro, Milan rallied from back-to-back defeats to move up from fifth to second and keep in the Champions League chase. Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned from injury with Hakan Calhanoglu putting the home side ahead after six minutes following good work from Alexis Saelemaekers and Franck Kessie. Benevento goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo got his foot to an Ibrahimovic goal-bound effort before the break, and again cleared from the Swede after the hour but Theo Hernandez was on hand to finish off the rebound. Napoli are fourth equal on points with Juventus who drop to fifth before they play at Udinese on Sunday. Inter could decide Juve's Champions League fate as they meet in the penultimate game in Turin in two weeks.

Inter Milan 'toppling a kingdom' with Serie A title one step away

Andrea Pirlo conceded Juventas missed Cristiano Ronaldo's "killer instinct" as the Italian champions fell to their first league defeat in two decades to Atalanta on Sunday leaving their participation in next season's Champions League at risk.

Leaders Inter Milan edged towards the Serie A title despite a 1-1 draw at Napoli, to pull 13 points ahead of Juventus who dropped to fourth place.

Christian Eriksen snatched a point for Inter whose 11-match winning streak ended but who hold a nine-point advantage on AC Milan as they target a first league title since 2010.&nbsp;

Milan earlier got back winning in the San Siro after two months 2-1 against Genoa.

Juve's nine-year reign as champions looks set to end with nine games left, and their European hopes are also at risk.

Substitute Ruslan Malinovskyi struck three minutes from time in Bergamo with a shot that took a deflection off Alex Sandro as Atalanta won 1-0 to move third.

Juventus were playing without injured Ronaldo, the top scorer in Serie A with 25 goals this campaign.&nbsp;

"We knew it would be tough against Atalanta," said Juve coach Andrea Pirlo.

"Ronaldo is our finisher, he adapts to these matches, because he's a champion.

"He's a penalty area killer. Today we had our chances, we didn't use them and we were punished by an episode."

Juve have failed to win any of the four matches they have played this season without 36-year-old Ronaldo.

But they held fourth spot two points ahead of Napoli whose six-match winning streak at home was stopped by Inter.

In Naples, top Inter scorer Romelu Lukaku rattled the woodwork either side of Napoli's opener, an own-goal following a blunder from visiting goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

Lorenzo Insigne tried to connect with Victor Osimhen to finish off with Handanovic intercepting the ball only to lose control after colliding with Stefan de Vrij sending into his own net.

Eriksen pulled Inter level 10 minutes after the break rifling in from just outside the penalty area.

"I'm very happy and proud of this group of guys who have grown significantly in many ways," said Inter coach Antonio Conte.&nbsp;

"On other occasions we would have lost the game, we would have fallen on that goal conceded. Instead the team reacted, they know what they are capable of and want to fight for something important."

<h2>- Milan back winning in San Siro -</h2>

In Milan, Gianluca Scamacca's 68th-minute own goal kept the seven-time European champions on course for a return to Champions League football next season.

Stefano Pioli's side had not won their last six games in the San Siro in all competitions and were playing without suspended forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"We wasted a lot, we could have finished it earlier, but the important thing is the spirit to stay in the game until the very end," said Pioli, who has given up on catching Inter.

"Inter have taken too many points to think that we can still fight for the Scudetto (league title).

"Winning was important. We will have to face important teams, Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, from here to the end they will all be difficult."

Ante Rebic put Milan ahead in the 13th minute with Rafael Leao, taking the place of Ibrahimovic, missing a chance for a second minutes later.

A Mattia Destro header against his former club pulled 14th-placed Genoa level eight minutes before the break.

Mario Mandzukic came off the bench for his first appearance in over two months just after the hour and had a role in the winning goal, which Scamacca guided past his own goalkeeper from a Hakan Calhanoglu corner.

In Rome, Lazio beat Benevento 5-4 in a match between coaching brothers Simone and Filippo Inzaghi to stay in the chase for the Champions League.

Ciro Immobile scored twice for the hosts and also missed a penalty as sixth-placed Lazio are four points behind Juventus having played a game less.

Roma's Champions League ambitions took a knock with a 3-1 defeat at Torino, who boosted their chances of top-flight survival.

Roma have taken four points from the last five games, and are stuck in seventh position, eight points off the Champions League berths.

Andrea Pirlo conceded Juventas missed Cristiano Ronaldo's "killer instinct" as the Italian champions fell to their first league defeat in two decades to Atalanta on Sunday leaving their participation in next season's Champions League at risk.

Andrea Pirlo conceded Juventas missed Cristiano Ronaldo's "killer instinct" as the Italian champions fell to their first league defeat in two decades to Atalanta on Sunday leaving their participation in next season's Champions League at risk. Leaders Inter Milan edged towards the Serie A title despite a 1-1 draw at Napoli, to pull 13 points ahead of Juventus who dropped to fourth place. Christian Eriksen snatched a point for Inter whose 11-match winning streak ended but who hold a nine-point advantage on AC Milan as they target a first league title since 2010. Milan earlier got back winning in the San Siro after two months 2-1 against Genoa. Juve's nine-year reign as champions looks set to end with nine games left, and their European hopes are also at risk. Substitute Ruslan Malinovskyi struck three minutes from time in Bergamo with a shot that took a deflection off Alex Sandro as Atalanta won 1-0 to move third. Juventus were playing without injured Ronaldo, the top scorer in Serie A with 25 goals this campaign. "We knew it would be tough against Atalanta," said Juve coach Andrea Pirlo. "Ronaldo is our finisher, he adapts to these matches, because he's a champion. "He's a penalty area killer. Today we had our chances, we didn't use them and we were punished by an episode." Juve have failed to win any of the four matches they have played this season without 36-year-old Ronaldo. But they held fourth spot two points ahead of Napoli whose six-match winning streak at home was stopped by Inter. In Naples, top Inter scorer Romelu Lukaku rattled the woodwork either side of Napoli's opener, an own-goal following a blunder from visiting goalkeeper Samir Handanovic. Lorenzo Insigne tried to connect with Victor Osimhen to finish off with Handanovic intercepting the ball only to lose control after colliding with Stefan de Vrij sending into his own net. Eriksen pulled Inter level 10 minutes after the break rifling in from just outside the penalty area. "I'm very happy and proud of this group of guys who have grown significantly in many ways," said Inter coach Antonio Conte. "On other occasions we would have lost the game, we would have fallen on that goal conceded. Instead the team reacted, they know what they are capable of and want to fight for something important." - Milan back winning in San Siro - In Milan, Gianluca Scamacca's 68th-minute own goal kept the seven-time European champions on course for a return to Champions League football next season. Stefano Pioli's side had not won their last six games in the San Siro in all competitions and were playing without suspended forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic. "We wasted a lot, we could have finished it earlier, but the important thing is the spirit to stay in the game until the very end," said Pioli, who has given up on catching Inter. "Inter have taken too many points to think that we can still fight for the Scudetto (league title). "Winning was important. We will have to face important teams, Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, from here to the end they will all be difficult." Ante Rebic put Milan ahead in the 13th minute with Rafael Leao, taking the place of Ibrahimovic, missing a chance for a second minutes later. A Mattia Destro header against his former club pulled 14th-placed Genoa level eight minutes before the break. Mario Mandzukic came off the bench for his first appearance in over two months just after the hour and had a role in the winning goal, which Scamacca guided past his own goalkeeper from a Hakan Calhanoglu corner. In Rome, Lazio beat Benevento 5-4 in a match between coaching brothers Simone and Filippo Inzaghi to stay in the chase for the Champions League. Ciro Immobile scored twice for the hosts and also missed a penalty as sixth-placed Lazio are four points behind Juventus having played a game less. Roma's Champions League ambitions took a knock with a 3-1 defeat at Torino, who boosted their chances of top-flight survival. Roma have taken four points from the last five games, and are stuck in seventh position, eight points off the Champions League berths.

Juve's Champions League at risk, Inter edge towards title despite Napoli draw

Juventus' hopes of winning a 10th consecutive Serie A title took another blow on Sunday with a 1-0 home loss to lowly Benevento as AC Milan closed the gap on leaders Inter Milan with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Fiorentina.

Adolfo Gaich scored the only goal in the 69th minute at Juve's Allianz Stadium following a bad pass across his own penalty area by midfielder Arthur.

Andrea Pirlo's side stay third, 10 points behind Inter whose match against Sassuolo was postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak at the league leaders.

Second-placed Milan are four points ahead of the reigning champions after they recovered from their Europa League exit to Manchester United by cutting the deficit to Inter to six points with a 3-2 win over Fiorentina.

For Juve, who have 11 games left to play this season, it was another blow after being dumped out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage by Porto earlier this month.

"We performed poorly, in every aspect," said Pirlo.&nbsp;

"We have to continue to believe in the title. The objective does not change, it's the mindset which must."

Serie A top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted 23 times in the league this season, drew a blank in Turin a week after reaching 770 goals to beat Pele's all-time mark of 767, with Benevento goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo pulling off a string of fine saves.

<h2>- Zlatan hails 'important' win -</h2>

Benevento broke the deadlock following Arthur's horrendous pass across the face of goal towards Danilo, which allowed Gaich to pounce and score his second goal in five games since arriving on loan from CSKA Moscow.

Montipo denied Ronaldo twice late on as Juve pushed for a leveller, first from close range with 10 minutes to go and again in the final minute, with Danilo sending the subsequent rebound over the bar.

Benevento now sit seven points away from the drop zone in 16th.

In Florence, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the starting line-up for Milan for the first time in over three weeks and scored after nine minutes following Simon Kjaer's ball over the top.

But Milan needed Brahim Diaz's 57th-minute strike and a Hakan Calhanoglu winner with quarter of an hour to go to snatch victory.

A curling Erick Pulgar free-kick had pulled Fiorentina level with Franck Ribery then putting the hosts ahead six minutes after the break.

"It was very important to win like this after the defeat against Manchester United," said Ibrahimovic, who at 39 became the oldest player to score 15 goals in a single Serie A season.&nbsp;

<h2>- Mertens century -</h2>

Atalanta bounced back after their Champions League exit to Real Madrid with a 2-0 win at Hellas Verona to consolidate fourth place, equal on points with Juventus.

Ruslan Malinovskyi scored the first from the penalty spot after a Federico Dimarco handball in the 33rd minute in Verona.

Duvan Zapata added a second before the break, after an earlier effort hit the post, the Colombian sweeping the ball past Marco Silvestri into an empty net, as Verona fell to a third successive defeat to stay ninth.

Atalanta are two points ahead of Napoli who beat Champions League rivals Roma 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to a Dries Mertens brace.

Mertens curled in the opener from a free-kick in the 27th minute and nodded in a Matteo Politano cross seven minutes later to bring his tally to 100 Serie A goals since joining Napoli in 2013.

Roma are the only Italian side left in Europe and showed signs of fatigue after their Europa League trip to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.

"Perhaps we don't have the mentality required to compete against these sort of teams," said Roma coach Paulo Fonseca, whose side have struggled for results against Serie A's top teams.&nbsp;

"In the first half the team looked to be without courage ... When we are afraid of losing, or afraid of playing, it all becomes a lot harder."

Lazio recovered from their Champions League elimination to Bayern Munich with a 1-0 win at Udinese thanks to an Adam Marusic goal.

Simone Inzaghi's side are seventh but now just one point behind their city rivals with a game in hand.

Juventus' hopes of winning a 10th consecutive Serie A title took another blow on Sunday with a 1-0 home loss to lowly Benevento as AC Milan closed the gap on leaders Inter Milan with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Fiorentina.

Juventus' hopes of winning a 10th consecutive Serie A title took another blow on Sunday with a 1-0 home loss to lowly Benevento as AC Milan closed the gap on leaders Inter Milan with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Fiorentina. Adolfo Gaich scored the only goal in the 69th minute at Juve's Allianz Stadium following a bad pass across his own penalty area by midfielder Arthur. Andrea Pirlo's side stay third, 10 points behind Inter whose match against Sassuolo was postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak at the league leaders. Second-placed Milan are four points ahead of the reigning champions after they recovered from their Europa League exit to Manchester United by cutting the deficit to Inter to six points with a 3-2 win over Fiorentina. For Juve, who have 11 games left to play this season, it was another blow after being dumped out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage by Porto earlier this month. "We performed poorly, in every aspect," said Pirlo. "We have to continue to believe in the title. The objective does not change, it's the mindset which must." Serie A top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted 23 times in the league this season, drew a blank in Turin a week after reaching 770 goals to beat Pele's all-time mark of 767, with Benevento goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo pulling off a string of fine saves. - Zlatan hails 'important' win - Benevento broke the deadlock following Arthur's horrendous pass across the face of goal towards Danilo, which allowed Gaich to pounce and score his second goal in five games since arriving on loan from CSKA Moscow. Montipo denied Ronaldo twice late on as Juve pushed for a leveller, first from close range with 10 minutes to go and again in the final minute, with Danilo sending the subsequent rebound over the bar. Benevento now sit seven points away from the drop zone in 16th. In Florence, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the starting line-up for Milan for the first time in over three weeks and scored after nine minutes following Simon Kjaer's ball over the top. But Milan needed Brahim Diaz's 57th-minute strike and a Hakan Calhanoglu winner with quarter of an hour to go to snatch victory. A curling Erick Pulgar free-kick had pulled Fiorentina level with Franck Ribery then putting the hosts ahead six minutes after the break. "It was very important to win like this after the defeat against Manchester United," said Ibrahimovic, who at 39 became the oldest player to score 15 goals in a single Serie A season. - Mertens century - Atalanta bounced back after their Champions League exit to Real Madrid with a 2-0 win at Hellas Verona to consolidate fourth place, equal on points with Juventus. Ruslan Malinovskyi scored the first from the penalty spot after a Federico Dimarco handball in the 33rd minute in Verona. Duvan Zapata added a second before the break, after an earlier effort hit the post, the Colombian sweeping the ball past Marco Silvestri into an empty net, as Verona fell to a third successive defeat to stay ninth. Atalanta are two points ahead of Napoli who beat Champions League rivals Roma 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to a Dries Mertens brace. Mertens curled in the opener from a free-kick in the 27th minute and nodded in a Matteo Politano cross seven minutes later to bring his tally to 100 Serie A goals since joining Napoli in 2013. Roma are the only Italian side left in Europe and showed signs of fatigue after their Europa League trip to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday. "Perhaps we don't have the mentality required to compete against these sort of teams," said Roma coach Paulo Fonseca, whose side have struggled for results against Serie A's top teams. "In the first half the team looked to be without courage ... When we are afraid of losing, or afraid of playing, it all becomes a lot harder." Lazio recovered from their Champions League elimination to Bayern Munich with a 1-0 win at Udinese thanks to an Adam Marusic goal. Simone Inzaghi's side are seventh but now just one point behind their city rivals with a game in hand.

Juve's title hopes rocked as Milan keep pressure on Inter

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Serie A Player of the Year for his performance in the 2019-2020 season at the Gran Gala del Calcio on Friday.

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The Portuguese legend won the award given by the Italian Footballers' Association, after helping Juventus to a ninth successive Serie A title last season

"It was a strange year, a year that no one would have wanted, but on a personal and team level, it was positive, because we won the championship," Ronaldo told Sky Sport Italia.

"At the beginning, it was difficult to play in empty stadiums, but our goal was to win the championship and we did it. We missed the Champions League but that's how football is."

His goal against Sampdoria in December 2019 was also voted Goal of the Season.

"It was my best goal, I’m very sure of it," Ronaldo added. "I want to thank my teammates because without them it wouldn’t have been possible to receive this prize.

"Thanks to the players who voted for me, I feel very lucky. I think the trust, the endurance and passion are the secrets to continuing to enjoy football.

"I feel motivated and this must be the case, as otherwise, it's not possible to play at this level when you are 35, 36, 37 or 40."

Coach of the Year award was won by Atlanta's Gian Piero Gasperini.&nbsp;

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Serie A Player of the Year for his performance in the 2019-2020 season at the Gran Gala del Calcio on Friday. ALSO READ: Man Utd to face Granada in Europa League quarter-finals The Portuguese legend won the award given by the Italian Footballers' Association, after helping Juventus to a ninth successive Serie A title last season "It was a strange year, a year that no one would have wanted, but on a personal and team level, it was positive, because we won the championship," Ronaldo told Sky Sport Italia.

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Serie A Player of the Year for his performance in the 2019-2020 season at the Gran Gala del Calcio on Friday. ALSO READ: Man Utd to face Granada in Europa League quarter-finals The Portuguese legend won the award given by the Italian Footballers' Association, after helping Juventus to a ninth successive Serie A title last season "It was a strange year, a year that no one would have wanted, but on a personal and team level, it was positive, because we won the championship," Ronaldo told Sky Sport Italia. "At the beginning, it was difficult to play in empty stadiums, but our goal was to win the championship and we did it. We missed the Champions League but that's how football is." His goal against Sampdoria in December 2019 was also voted Goal of the Season. "It was my best goal, I’m very sure of it," Ronaldo added. "I want to thank my teammates because without them it wouldn’t have been possible to receive this prize. "Thanks to the players who voted for me, I feel very lucky. I think the trust, the endurance and passion are the secrets to continuing to enjoy football. "I feel motivated and this must be the case, as otherwise, it's not possible to play at this level when you are 35, 36, 37 or 40." Coach of the Year award was won by Atlanta's Gian Piero Gasperini.

Juve star Cristiano Ronaldo named Serie A's Player of the Year

Cristiano Ronaldo hit back at his critics with a quick-fire hat-trick as Juventus brushed aside Cagliari 3-1 on Sunday, five days after their Champions League elimination, while Inter Milan moved nine points clear at the Serie A summit.

Portuguese star Ronaldo bore the brunt of the criticism for Juve's latest European flop after failing to score in either leg of the last-16 defeat by Porto, while also being partly at fault for what proved to be the winning goal.

But the 36-year-old scored a header after less than nine minutes at the Sardegna Arena, added a second from the penalty spot, and completed a 'perfect' treble on 32 minutes with a fine left-footed strike.

Defending champions Juventus are 10 points behind Inter Milan, who beat Torino 2-1 earlier Sunday, but with a game in hand.

Andrea Pirlo's side pulled just one point behind second-placed AC Milan, who host Napoli later Sunday, as they try to keep their push for a 10th consecutive Scudetto alive.

Ronaldo broke the deadlock early on, rising high to nod in a Juan Cuadrado corner.

But he could have been sent off after a quarter of an hour, receiving only a yellow card for dangerous play as his boot struck Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno in the face while attempting to meet a Federico Chiesa cross.

Ronaldo's second came from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after being brought down by Cragno.

He completed the 57th treble of his career when he collected Chiesa's pass and blasted a left-footed strike into the Cagliari net, at the only stadium in the Italian top flight where he had not previously scored.

Ronaldo is the leading scorer in Serie A with 23 goals this season, ahead of Inter's Romelu Lukaku, who has 19.

It was his third hat-trick for Juventus since joining in 2018, after also putting three past Cagliari in the league last season and in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid in 2019.

Before kick-off, Juventus chief football officer Fabio Paratici dismissed talk about Ronaldo's future.

"It makes me laugh. I would never have imagined discussing the value of Cristiano Ronaldo," said Paratici.

"It's a privilege to have him with us, he's part of our future."

Cagliari, two points above the relegation zone, pulled a goal back through Giovanni Simeone in the 61st minute.

<h2>- Martinez pulls Inter clear -</h2>

Lautaro Martinez scored a brilliant 85th-minute winner for Inter in a tight game against 18th-placed Torino.

Antonio Conte's Inter once again needed their strike duo of Lukaku and Martinez to find a way to win in Turin.

Christian Eriksen came off the bench on 56 minutes and had an immediate impact, playing a part in the move which resulted in Torino defender Armando Izzo fouling Martinez in the penalty area.

Lukaku fired home the resulting spot-kick in the 62nd minute.

Inter looked to be wobbling when Antonio Sanabria pulled Torino level eight minutes later, finishing off goalmouth scramble.

But Martinez snatched the victory by getting his head to an Alexis Sanchez cross for his 14th league goal this term.

Inter stretched their winning run to eight matches to move further ahead of AC Milan.

"Victories like these are crucial," said Inter assistant coach Cristian Stellini, with Antonio Conte serving a touchline ban.

"The three points were also vital for Torino who gave little away."

Injury-hit Roma dropped to fifth, two points behind Atalanta and the Champions League berths after falling 2-0 at 19th-placed Parma who earned their first win since November 30.

Valentin Mihaila opened the scoring on nine minutes following a cross from fellow Romanian Dennis Man.

Hernani added a second from the spot in the second half to secure a valuable win which moves Parma a point behind Torino, who have played two games fewer because of a coronavirus outbreak, and three from safety.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit back at his critics with a quick-fire hat-trick as Juventus brushed aside Cagliari 3-1 on Sunday, five days after their Champions League elimination, while Inter Milan moved nine points clear at the Serie A summit.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit back at his critics with a quick-fire hat-trick as Juventus brushed aside Cagliari 3-1 on Sunday, five days after their Champions League elimination, while Inter Milan moved nine points clear at the Serie A summit. Portuguese star Ronaldo bore the brunt of the criticism for Juve's latest European flop after failing to score in either leg of the last-16 defeat by Porto, while also being partly at fault for what proved to be the winning goal. But the 36-year-old scored a header after less than nine minutes at the Sardegna Arena, added a second from the penalty spot, and completed a 'perfect' treble on 32 minutes with a fine left-footed strike. Defending champions Juventus are 10 points behind Inter Milan, who beat Torino 2-1 earlier Sunday, but with a game in hand. Andrea Pirlo's side pulled just one point behind second-placed AC Milan, who host Napoli later Sunday, as they try to keep their push for a 10th consecutive Scudetto alive. Ronaldo broke the deadlock early on, rising high to nod in a Juan Cuadrado corner. But he could have been sent off after a quarter of an hour, receiving only a yellow card for dangerous play as his boot struck Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno in the face while attempting to meet a Federico Chiesa cross. Ronaldo's second came from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after being brought down by Cragno. He completed the 57th treble of his career when he collected Chiesa's pass and blasted a left-footed strike into the Cagliari net, at the only stadium in the Italian top flight where he had not previously scored. Ronaldo is the leading scorer in Serie A with 23 goals this season, ahead of Inter's Romelu Lukaku, who has 19. It was his third hat-trick for Juventus since joining in 2018, after also putting three past Cagliari in the league last season and in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid in 2019. Before kick-off, Juventus chief football officer Fabio Paratici dismissed talk about Ronaldo's future. "It makes me laugh. I would never have imagined discussing the value of Cristiano Ronaldo," said Paratici. "It's a privilege to have him with us, he's part of our future." Cagliari, two points above the relegation zone, pulled a goal back through Giovanni Simeone in the 61st minute. - Martinez pulls Inter clear - Lautaro Martinez scored a brilliant 85th-minute winner for Inter in a tight game against 18th-placed Torino. Antonio Conte's Inter once again needed their strike duo of Lukaku and Martinez to find a way to win in Turin. Christian Eriksen came off the bench on 56 minutes and had an immediate impact, playing a part in the move which resulted in Torino defender Armando Izzo fouling Martinez in the penalty area. Lukaku fired home the resulting spot-kick in the 62nd minute. Inter looked to be wobbling when Antonio Sanabria pulled Torino level eight minutes later, finishing off goalmouth scramble. But Martinez snatched the victory by getting his head to an Alexis Sanchez cross for his 14th league goal this term. Inter stretched their winning run to eight matches to move further ahead of AC Milan. "Victories like these are crucial," said Inter assistant coach Cristian Stellini, with Antonio Conte serving a touchline ban. "The three points were also vital for Torino who gave little away." Injury-hit Roma dropped to fifth, two points behind Atalanta and the Champions League berths after falling 2-0 at 19th-placed Parma who earned their first win since November 30. Valentin Mihaila opened the scoring on nine minutes following a cross from fellow Romanian Dennis Man. Hernani added a second from the spot in the second half to secure a valuable win which moves Parma a point behind Torino, who have played two games fewer because of a coronavirus outbreak, and three from safety.

Ronaldo hits back with hat-trick, Inter extend lead

Milan Skriniar scored the only goal as Inter Milan moved back six points clear in Serie A with a 1-0 win over Atalanta on Monday.

Inter extended their winning streak to seven league games as they push for a first title since 2010.

Antonio Conte's side are ahead of second-placed AC Milan, who beat Hellas Verona 2-0 on Sunday, with champions Juventus 10 points off top spot, with a game in hand, after a 3-1 win over Lazio.

Skriniar found a way through after 54 minutes sending in off fellow defender Alessandro Bastoni after a corner resulted in a scramble on front of goal in the San Siro.

"Knowing that the closest direct pursuers had won it's inevitable that there was pressure, these are three important points," said Conte.

Atalanta are fifth, outside the Champions League berths, and 13 points off top spot with 12 games left to play this season.

"We put in a great performance and lost on a corner," lamented coach Gian Piero Gasperini whose side are one point off fourth-placed Roma.

"Against Inter and Juventus we always lack that little detail we don't yet have, but we are close."&nbsp;

In a clash between the two biggest scoring teams in Serie A the defenders decided the tie with Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti giving little space to the Inter attackers.

Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez lead the Inter attack, the best in the Italian top-flight with 63 goals.

Atalanta are second best with 60, with forward Duvan Zapata starting up front, being replaced by fellow Colombian Luis Muriel for the final 20 minutes.

Chances were few in the first half.

Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello used his head to clear for a corner off a Cristian Romero cross after quarter of an hour.

Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic denied a Zapata header six minutes before the break and Marcelo Brozovic was cleared off the line just after.

Josip Ilicic replaced Ruslan Malinovskyi after the break for Atalanta with Conte sending on Christian Eriksen in place of Arturo Vidal.

And the Dane's corner which resulted in the goal, Skriniar's third in the league this season.

Inter threated a second just after but Romero slid in to deny a Lukaku finish just before the hour.

"One goal but we missed sensational opportunities," said Conte.

"It was a very tactical match."

Atalanta broke their four-match winning run in Serie A as they remain in the running in the Champions League and the Italian Cup final.

Inter are without European commitments with nothing left to target but the league and are next at relegation-threatened Torino.

Atalanta play at home against promoted Spezia before their Champions League last 16, second leg visit to Real Madrid.

Milan Skriniar scored the only goal as Inter Milan moved back six points clear in Serie A with a 1-0 win over Atalanta on Monday. Inter extended their winning streak to seven league games as they push for a first title since 2010.

Milan Skriniar scored the only goal as Inter Milan moved back six points clear in Serie A with a 1-0 win over Atalanta on Monday. Inter extended their winning streak to seven league games as they push for a first title since 2010. Antonio Conte's side are ahead of second-placed AC Milan, who beat Hellas Verona 2-0 on Sunday, with champions Juventus 10 points off top spot, with a game in hand, after a 3-1 win over Lazio. Skriniar found a way through after 54 minutes sending in off fellow defender Alessandro Bastoni after a corner resulted in a scramble on front of goal in the San Siro. "Knowing that the closest direct pursuers had won it's inevitable that there was pressure, these are three important points," said Conte. Atalanta are fifth, outside the Champions League berths, and 13 points off top spot with 12 games left to play this season. "We put in a great performance and lost on a corner," lamented coach Gian Piero Gasperini whose side are one point off fourth-placed Roma. "Against Inter and Juventus we always lack that little detail we don't yet have, but we are close." In a clash between the two biggest scoring teams in Serie A the defenders decided the tie with Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti giving little space to the Inter attackers. Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez lead the Inter attack, the best in the Italian top-flight with 63 goals. Atalanta are second best with 60, with forward Duvan Zapata starting up front, being replaced by fellow Colombian Luis Muriel for the final 20 minutes. Chances were few in the first half. Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello used his head to clear for a corner off a Cristian Romero cross after quarter of an hour. Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic denied a Zapata header six minutes before the break and Marcelo Brozovic was cleared off the line just after. Josip Ilicic replaced Ruslan Malinovskyi after the break for Atalanta with Conte sending on Christian Eriksen in place of Arturo Vidal. And the Dane's corner which resulted in the goal, Skriniar's third in the league this season. Inter threated a second just after but Romero slid in to deny a Lukaku finish just before the hour. "One goal but we missed sensational opportunities," said Conte. "It was a very tactical match." Atalanta broke their four-match winning run in Serie A as they remain in the running in the Champions League and the Italian Cup final. Inter are without European commitments with nothing left to target but the league and are next at relegation-threatened Torino. Atalanta play at home against promoted Spezia before their Champions League last 16, second leg visit to Real Madrid.

Skriniar sends Inter back six points clear in Serie A

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates 600th league game with special goal for Juventus

Romelu Lukaku scored after 33 seconds and set up another in Inter Milan's 3-0 win over Genoa on Sunday to keep their title push on track ahead of city rivals AC Milan, who beat Roma 2-1.

Inter remain four points ahead of second-placed Milan, who got back to winning ways in Rome after consecutive league losses including last weekend's derby defeat.

Champions Juventus are a further six points adrift after being held 1-1 at Hellas Verona on Saturday, but have played a game fewer.

Atalanta, equal on points with Juventus, take fourth spot two points ahead of Roma who drop to fifth following the loss to Milan.

Lukaku scored with the first chance at the San Siro, then laid on Matteo Darmian for Inter's second in the 69th minute. Alexis Sanchez came off the bench to add a third with 13 minutes to go.

"We're first in the standings and it's a good feeling," said Lukaku as Inter try to deny Juventus a 10th consecutive league title after finishing runners-up last season.

Antonio Conte's side followed on from last weekend's 3-0 derby win over Milan, notching up a fifth win in a row as they push for a first league title since 2010.

"We're happy because our hard work is paying off," said Conte.

"We know that there are 14 games left. Let's keep our antennas up until the end if we want to do something good."

Lukaku led the way, completing a give-and-go with Lautaro Martinez after good work from Nicolo Barella to fire in from an angle for his 18th Serie A goal of the season, one shy of leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 27-year-old has scored six goals in the last five games.

"I'm in a good moment of my career but the important thing is that Inter win," added the former Manchester United player.

"These matches are opportunities for us to give signals to others, but the championship is long."

<h2>- Milan edge Roma -</h2>

Milan won an intense battle with rivals Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital, as Stefano Pioli's side push for a first league title since 2011.

A Franck Kessie penalty gave Milan the lead five minutes before the interval after Federico Fazio fouled Davide Calabria.

Jordan Veretout pulled Roma level five minutes after the break with an arrowed shot, but the away side were soon back in front.

Ante Rebic drilled home the winner eight minutes later after collecting a pass from Alexis Saelemaekers following a poor clearance from Roma goalkeeper Pau Lopez.

Off-form Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been substituted shortly before Croatia international Rebic scored the decisive goal.

"I told the lads that two games (losses) cannot take away the confidence build up over a year," said Pioli.

"It's an important win at a decisive moment in the season which takes us out of two very strange weeks."

Ibrahimovic watched the end of game with an ice pack on his left thigh before a week in which he will juggle football and show business as one of the star presenters of the San Remo music festival.

Atalanta kept their Champions League push alive with a 2-0 win over Sampdoria with goals in either half from Ruslan Malinovskyi and Robin Gosens.

Napoli's record goalscorer Dries Mertens returned from injury to help the southerners boost their own top four hopes with a 2-0 win over local rivals Benevento that puts them a point behind Roma in sixth.

Mertens started for the first time in over two months and the 33-year-old got his boot to a Faouzi Ghoulam cross after half an hour for his 131st Napoli goal.

Matteo Politano turned in the second in the 66th minute and Gennaro Gattuso's side held on for the points despite Kalidou Koulibaly's sending off 10 minutes from time.

In the relegation battle, Cagliari snapped their 16-match winless run in coach Leonardo Semplici's first match in charge with a 2-0 success over rock-bottom Crotone.

Romelu Lukaku scored after 33 seconds and set up another in Inter Milan's 3-0 win over Genoa on Sunday to keep their title push on track ahead of city rivals AC Milan, who beat Roma 2-1.

Romelu Lukaku scored after 33 seconds and set up another in Inter Milan's 3-0 win over Genoa on Sunday to keep their title push on track ahead of city rivals AC Milan, who beat Roma 2-1. Inter remain four points ahead of second-placed Milan, who got back to winning ways in Rome after consecutive league losses including last weekend's derby defeat. Champions Juventus are a further six points adrift after being held 1-1 at Hellas Verona on Saturday, but have played a game fewer. Atalanta, equal on points with Juventus, take fourth spot two points ahead of Roma who drop to fifth following the loss to Milan. Lukaku scored with the first chance at the San Siro, then laid on Matteo Darmian for Inter's second in the 69th minute. Alexis Sanchez came off the bench to add a third with 13 minutes to go. "We're first in the standings and it's a good feeling," said Lukaku as Inter try to deny Juventus a 10th consecutive league title after finishing runners-up last season. Antonio Conte's side followed on from last weekend's 3-0 derby win over Milan, notching up a fifth win in a row as they push for a first league title since 2010. "We're happy because our hard work is paying off," said Conte. "We know that there are 14 games left. Let's keep our antennas up until the end if we want to do something good." Lukaku led the way, completing a give-and-go with Lautaro Martinez after good work from Nicolo Barella to fire in from an angle for his 18th Serie A goal of the season, one shy of leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. The 27-year-old has scored six goals in the last five games. "I'm in a good moment of my career but the important thing is that Inter win," added the former Manchester United player. "These matches are opportunities for us to give signals to others, but the championship is long." - Milan edge Roma - Milan won an intense battle with rivals Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital, as Stefano Pioli's side push for a first league title since 2011. A Franck Kessie penalty gave Milan the lead five minutes before the interval after Federico Fazio fouled Davide Calabria. Jordan Veretout pulled Roma level five minutes after the break with an arrowed shot, but the away side were soon back in front. Ante Rebic drilled home the winner eight minutes later after collecting a pass from Alexis Saelemaekers following a poor clearance from Roma goalkeeper Pau Lopez. Off-form Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been substituted shortly before Croatia international Rebic scored the decisive goal. "I told the lads that two games (losses) cannot take away the confidence build up over a year," said Pioli. "It's an important win at a decisive moment in the season which takes us out of two very strange weeks." Ibrahimovic watched the end of game with an ice pack on his left thigh before a week in which he will juggle football and show business as one of the star presenters of the San Remo music festival. Atalanta kept their Champions League push alive with a 2-0 win over Sampdoria with goals in either half from Ruslan Malinovskyi and Robin Gosens. Napoli's record goalscorer Dries Mertens returned from injury to help the southerners boost their own top four hopes with a 2-0 win over local rivals Benevento that puts them a point behind Roma in sixth. Mertens started for the first time in over two months and the 33-year-old got his boot to a Faouzi Ghoulam cross after half an hour for his 131st Napoli goal. Matteo Politano turned in the second in the 66th minute and Gennaro Gattuso's side held on for the points despite Kalidou Koulibaly's sending off 10 minutes from time. In the relegation battle, Cagliari snapped their 16-match winless run in coach Leonardo Semplici's first match in charge with a 2-0 success over rock-bottom Crotone.

Lukaku keeps Inter's title push on track as Milan bounce back against Roma

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 19th goal this campaign but champions Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Saturday.

The draw gives leaders Inter Milan the chance to pull 10 points clear of Juventus when they play mid-table Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday.

Juventus are third and three points adrift of second-placed AC Milan who travel to Roma, two points behind the champions in fourth, on Sunday.

"We managed to take the lead, which was the hardest part, it's a pity not being able to hold it," said Juve coach Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo's side paid for their many absences and a redesigned defence with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini out injured and Danilo suspended.

Also missing were Juan Cuadrado, Arthur and Paulo Dybala to injury with Alvaro Morata recovering from a viral infection.

"We lacked experienced players, we had many youngsters on the pitch and there are details that they don't understand," continued Pirlo.

"I asked Ronaldo and Alex Sandro to make their voices heard, but it wasn't enough."

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and the post saved Juventus just minutes into the game at the Stadio Bentegodi following a Davide Faraoni header.

Ronaldo broke through four minutes after the break connecting with a perfect lay-off from Federico Chiesa to fire in.

Aaron Ramsey missed a chance for a second before the hour mark after a Dejan Kulusevski pull-back which the Verona defence closed down.

Antonin Barak headed in an equaliser with quarter of an hour to go and the hosts were denied a late winner with Szczesny deflecting a Darko Lazovic effort onto the crossbar.

<h2>- Immobile penalty miss -</h2>

Lazio's European ambitions took a knock with a 2-0 loss at Bologna, days after a heavy defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Ciro Immobile missed a penalty with goals in either half from Ibrahima Mbaye and Nicola Sansone sealing all three points for Bologna who snapped their 15-match winless league run against the Romans.

"The missed penalty set the tone for the game," said Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi.

Inzaghi's side showed signs of fatigue as they came off a 4-1 Champions League last 16, first leg loss to holders Bayern Munich.

"We must forget about these two defeats which hurt. An ambitious team like ours needs to roll up our sleeves and do better."

Lazio have lost momentum since losing to Inter Milan in the league two weeks ago, and next host Torino before travelling to Juventus.

Last season's European golden shoe winner Immobile had a chance to score from the spot after Joaquin Correa was tripped in the box with goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski easily holding the striker's weak effort.

And 11th-placed Bologna got the breakthrough two minutes later when Mbaye tapped in a rebound after Pepe Reina parried a Riccardo Orsolini volley.

Musa Barrow set up Sansone for the second after 64 minutes as Lazio's 19-game league scoring streak ended, two short of their record run in 1956.

Lazio stay sixth on 43 points and could also be overtaken by Napoli on Sunday, while European rivals Atalanta travel to Sampdoria.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 19th goal this campaign but champions Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Saturday. The draw gives leaders Inter Milan the chance to pull 10 points clear of Juventus when they play mid-table Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 19th goal this campaign but champions Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Saturday. The draw gives leaders Inter Milan the chance to pull 10 points clear of Juventus when they play mid-table Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday. Juventus are third and three points adrift of second-placed AC Milan who travel to Roma, two points behind the champions in fourth, on Sunday. "We managed to take the lead, which was the hardest part, it's a pity not being able to hold it," said Juve coach Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo's side paid for their many absences and a redesigned defence with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini out injured and Danilo suspended. Also missing were Juan Cuadrado, Arthur and Paulo Dybala to injury with Alvaro Morata recovering from a viral infection. "We lacked experienced players, we had many youngsters on the pitch and there are details that they don't understand," continued Pirlo. "I asked Ronaldo and Alex Sandro to make their voices heard, but it wasn't enough." Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and the post saved Juventus just minutes into the game at the Stadio Bentegodi following a Davide Faraoni header. Ronaldo broke through four minutes after the break connecting with a perfect lay-off from Federico Chiesa to fire in. Aaron Ramsey missed a chance for a second before the hour mark after a Dejan Kulusevski pull-back which the Verona defence closed down. Antonin Barak headed in an equaliser with quarter of an hour to go and the hosts were denied a late winner with Szczesny deflecting a Darko Lazovic effort onto the crossbar. - Immobile penalty miss - Lazio's European ambitions took a knock with a 2-0 loss at Bologna, days after a heavy defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Ciro Immobile missed a penalty with goals in either half from Ibrahima Mbaye and Nicola Sansone sealing all three points for Bologna who snapped their 15-match winless league run against the Romans. "The missed penalty set the tone for the game," said Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi. Inzaghi's side showed signs of fatigue as they came off a 4-1 Champions League last 16, first leg loss to holders Bayern Munich. "We must forget about these two defeats which hurt. An ambitious team like ours needs to roll up our sleeves and do better." Lazio have lost momentum since losing to Inter Milan in the league two weeks ago, and next host Torino before travelling to Juventus. Last season's European golden shoe winner Immobile had a chance to score from the spot after Joaquin Correa was tripped in the box with goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski easily holding the striker's weak effort. And 11th-placed Bologna got the breakthrough two minutes later when Mbaye tapped in a rebound after Pepe Reina parried a Riccardo Orsolini volley. Musa Barrow set up Sansone for the second after 64 minutes as Lazio's 19-game league scoring streak ended, two short of their record run in 1956. Lazio stay sixth on 43 points and could also be overtaken by Napoli on Sunday, while European rivals Atalanta travel to Sampdoria.

Ronaldo scores as Juventus held in Verona

Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte hailed a game "played to perfection" as Lautaro Martinez scored a double, with Romelu Lukaku also on target in a 3-0 win over city rivals AC Milan to extend their lead at the top of Serie A on Sunday.

Inter opened up a four-point lead over their second-placed opponents Milan as Conte's side target a first league title since their unprecedented treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010.

"Credit to the lads, they put in an extraordinary performance, carried out to perfection," said Conte, bidding to end his former club Juventus's quest for a 10th consecutive league title.

In third, Roma were held to a goalless draw at 15th-placed Benevento, giving Juventus, who are 11 points off top spot, the chance to move third against rock bottom Crotone on Monday.

Roma are five points adrift of Milan with both teams going head-to-head in Rome next weekend.

Behind, in a match for fourth place, Napoli crashed 4-2 at Atalanta with Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen stretched off and hospitalised overnight after losing consciousness following a knock to his head.

In the San Siro, Lukaku was on top form, the Belgian playing a role in Martinez's two goals on five and 57 minutes before scoring his 17th goal in the league this season to move top of the Serie A scorers' chart.

Milan, chasing a first Scudetto since 2011, fell to back-to-back Serie A losses for the first time this season.

"We've suffered a lot this year," said Martinez.

"Two eliminations in the Italian Cup and the Champions League, this is the only goal we have left and we're fighting for that."

The match was played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that did not stop thousands of fans gathering outside the stadium.

It was the third derby of the season, with Milan winning the first 2-1 in the league, and Inter the Italian Cup quarter-final by the same scoreline, a game overshadowed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lukaku squaring off and trading insults.

Despite the restrictions supporters waited for the team buses to arrive, waving flags and singing, setting off smoke bombs, before the teams entered the stadium.

"The welcome the fans gave us at the stadium gave us goosebumps," said Conte.

The former Chelsea manager warned against complacency against their next opponents, 11th-placed Genoa and lowly Parma.

"Psychologically, I dread these two games, that's where we'll have to show that we have passed a milestone.&nbsp;

"These two games will say a lot about what we can do."

<h2>- 'Tough week' -</h2>

Inter were fresher with Milan coming off a 2-2 Europa League midweek draw at Red Star Belgrade.

Lukaku powered down the right flank in the opening minutes. Milan defender Simon Kjaer blocked his initial cross, but the ball returned to the Belgian for a perfect delivery for Martinez to nod home.

Ibrahimovic threated with a back-heel flick after quarter of an hour following a scramble in the box but Samir Handanovic kept it out, the Inter keeper also pulling off a double save from the Swede after the break.

But Martinez broke through again, finishing off an Ivan Perisic pull-back from the by-line in a move started by Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi.

Donnarumma denied Lukaku minutes later but the former Manchester United striker then burst through to score the third.

"A striker depends on the team's performance," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli of Ibrahimovic who limped off with calf cramps with 15 minutes to go.

"It was a tough week, the worst one of the season."

In Bergamo, Atalanta moved fourth at the expense of Napoli in a game where all six goals came in the second half.

Colombian pair Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata both scored for the hosts with Robin Gosens scoring for his side and also an own-goal for Napoli, with Cristian Romero nodding in the fourth.

The match finished in confusion after Osimhen hit his head on the ground after a Romero challenge in stoppage time.

The 22-year-old was hospitalised overnight under observation for head trauma, the team said.

Napoli are now seventh, three points behind Atalanta who occupy the final Champions League place.

Roma meanwhile failed to take advantage against 10-man Benevento who played half an hour a man down after Kamil Glik's sending off.

The capital side were also denied a late penalty which was awarded and then overruled after a VAR viewing.

Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte hailed a game "played to perfection" as Lautaro Martinez scored a double, with Romelu Lukaku also on target in a 3-0 win over city rivals AC Milan to extend their lead at the top of Serie A on Sunday.

Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte hailed a game "played to perfection" as Lautaro Martinez scored a double, with Romelu Lukaku also on target in a 3-0 win over city rivals AC Milan to extend their lead at the top of Serie A on Sunday. Inter opened up a four-point lead over their second-placed opponents Milan as Conte's side target a first league title since their unprecedented treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010. "Credit to the lads, they put in an extraordinary performance, carried out to perfection," said Conte, bidding to end his former club Juventus's quest for a 10th consecutive league title. In third, Roma were held to a goalless draw at 15th-placed Benevento, giving Juventus, who are 11 points off top spot, the chance to move third against rock bottom Crotone on Monday. Roma are five points adrift of Milan with both teams going head-to-head in Rome next weekend. Behind, in a match for fourth place, Napoli crashed 4-2 at Atalanta with Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen stretched off and hospitalised overnight after losing consciousness following a knock to his head. In the San Siro, Lukaku was on top form, the Belgian playing a role in Martinez's two goals on five and 57 minutes before scoring his 17th goal in the league this season to move top of the Serie A scorers' chart. Milan, chasing a first Scudetto since 2011, fell to back-to-back Serie A losses for the first time this season. "We've suffered a lot this year," said Martinez. "Two eliminations in the Italian Cup and the Champions League, this is the only goal we have left and we're fighting for that." The match was played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that did not stop thousands of fans gathering outside the stadium. It was the third derby of the season, with Milan winning the first 2-1 in the league, and Inter the Italian Cup quarter-final by the same scoreline, a game overshadowed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lukaku squaring off and trading insults. Despite the restrictions supporters waited for the team buses to arrive, waving flags and singing, setting off smoke bombs, before the teams entered the stadium. "The welcome the fans gave us at the stadium gave us goosebumps," said Conte. The former Chelsea manager warned against complacency against their next opponents, 11th-placed Genoa and lowly Parma. "Psychologically, I dread these two games, that's where we'll have to show that we have passed a milestone. "These two games will say a lot about what we can do." - 'Tough week' - Inter were fresher with Milan coming off a 2-2 Europa League midweek draw at Red Star Belgrade. Lukaku powered down the right flank in the opening minutes. Milan defender Simon Kjaer blocked his initial cross, but the ball returned to the Belgian for a perfect delivery for Martinez to nod home. Ibrahimovic threated with a back-heel flick after quarter of an hour following a scramble in the box but Samir Handanovic kept it out, the Inter keeper also pulling off a double save from the Swede after the break. But Martinez broke through again, finishing off an Ivan Perisic pull-back from the by-line in a move started by Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi. Donnarumma denied Lukaku minutes later but the former Manchester United striker then burst through to score the third. "A striker depends on the team's performance," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli of Ibrahimovic who limped off with calf cramps with 15 minutes to go. "It was a tough week, the worst one of the season." In Bergamo, Atalanta moved fourth at the expense of Napoli in a game where all six goals came in the second half. Colombian pair Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata both scored for the hosts with Robin Gosens scoring for his side and also an own-goal for Napoli, with Cristian Romero nodding in the fourth. The match finished in confusion after Osimhen hit his head on the ground after a Romero challenge in stoppage time. The 22-year-old was hospitalised overnight under observation for head trauma, the team said. Napoli are now seventh, three points behind Atalanta who occupy the final Champions League place. Roma meanwhile failed to take advantage against 10-man Benevento who played half an hour a man down after Kamil Glik's sending off. The capital side were also denied a late penalty which was awarded and then overruled after a VAR viewing.

Inter crush AC Milan to pull clear in Serie A as Roma, Napoli lose ground

Zlatan Ibrahimovic broke the 500-mark for career club goals with a brace on Sunday as AC Milan held top spot in Serie A with a 4-0 win over lowly Crotone.

"It's difficult to be surprised by Ibrahimovic," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli of the 39-year-old who is powering his team's bid for a first 'Scudetto' since 2011.

Milan moved back two points in front of city rivals Inter Milan who had pulled ahead after a 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Friday.

Champions Juventus are a further five back in third after beating Roma 2-0 on Saturday.&nbsp;

The capital side dropped to fourth equal on points with city rivals Lazio who beat Cagliari 1-0.

Ibrahimovic opened the scoring on the half hour at the San Siro after combining with Rafael Leao for his 500th strike with nine different clubs.

And the Swede brought his tally to 501 in the 64th minute, finishing off a Theo Hernandez cross for his 83rd Milan goal.

"To hold up at this level means you're an exceptional professional and he's helped by a physique that few have," continued Pioli.&nbsp;

"He's a champion, an athlete who has great motivation, he takes care of his body scrupulously. Sometimes he's tired, but he never fails."

Ante Rebic turned the game into a comprehensive win with a quick-fire brace of his own past Crotone goalkeeper Alex Cordaz.

The Croatian headed in a Hakan Calhanoglu corner in the 69th minute and then seconds later turned in a rebound after Cordaz kept out an Ibrahimovic strike.

"The Scudetto? The decisive matches will come later, now we have to withstand all the pressures which is a privilege to have," continued Pioli.

"The top seven are all capable of fighting for the title and the first four places.&nbsp;

"It's not yet time to look too much at the table, a challenging period will come with many matches and the Europa League is about to start again."

<h2>- 'My job is to score' -</h2>

Ibrahimovic showed his incredible form 22 years after making his professional debut for Swedish club Malmo, scoring his first goal in October 1999.

"It means that I have scored a few goals in my career," said the Swede, who was substituted off with 15 minutes to go.&nbsp;

"The important thing is to continue to help the team in the best possible way. My job is to score and create situations to score."

Ibrahimovic reached the landmark in 825 games, having played for three Serie A sides -- Juventus, Inter and Milan -- as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Barcelona, Ajax and Los Angeles Galaxy.

He has now scored 396 league goals, 57 in European competitions and 48 in cup games.

The former Sweden striker returned to Milan in January 2020 and has scored 27 goals in 37 appearances since.

He has scored 14 league goals in 11 games this season having been sidelined with coronavirus and injury, two short of top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 36 on Friday.

With 116 games for Sweden and 62 goals, Ibrahimovic is the all-time leading scorer for the Swedish national team.

<h2>- Immobile lifts Lazio -</h2>

In Rome, Ciro Immobile scored the only goal as Lazio pushed their winning run to six league games to move ahead of Napoli and level with Roma.

Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno kept the relegation-threatened Sardinians in the game for an hour, denying an Immobile header, and getting down to clear a Luis Alberto volley.

But he could do nothing to stop Immobile latching on to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's nodded cross with the Italian finishing off with his left foot.

Last season's European golden shoe winner has now 14 goals this campaign, equal with Ibrahimovic and Inter's Romelu Lukaku.

In the Emilia-Romagna derby, Musa Barrow scored twice within the first half hour with Riccardo Orsolini adding a third in injury time as Bologna got back winning 3-0 against Parma.

Bologna move up to 12th with Parma stuck 19th.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic broke the 500-mark for career club goals with a brace on Sunday as AC Milan held top spot in Serie A with a 4-0 win over lowly Crotone. "It's difficult to be surprised by Ibrahimovic," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli of the 39-year-old who is powering his team's bid for a first 'Scudetto' since 2011.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic broke the 500-mark for career club goals with a brace on Sunday as AC Milan held top spot in Serie A with a 4-0 win over lowly Crotone. "It's difficult to be surprised by Ibrahimovic," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli of the 39-year-old who is powering his team's bid for a first 'Scudetto' since 2011. Milan moved back two points in front of city rivals Inter Milan who had pulled ahead after a 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Friday. Champions Juventus are a further five back in third after beating Roma 2-0 on Saturday. The capital side dropped to fourth equal on points with city rivals Lazio who beat Cagliari 1-0. Ibrahimovic opened the scoring on the half hour at the San Siro after combining with Rafael Leao for his 500th strike with nine different clubs. And the Swede brought his tally to 501 in the 64th minute, finishing off a Theo Hernandez cross for his 83rd Milan goal. "To hold up at this level means you're an exceptional professional and he's helped by a physique that few have," continued Pioli. "He's a champion, an athlete who has great motivation, he takes care of his body scrupulously. Sometimes he's tired, but he never fails." Ante Rebic turned the game into a comprehensive win with a quick-fire brace of his own past Crotone goalkeeper Alex Cordaz. The Croatian headed in a Hakan Calhanoglu corner in the 69th minute and then seconds later turned in a rebound after Cordaz kept out an Ibrahimovic strike. "The Scudetto? The decisive matches will come later, now we have to withstand all the pressures which is a privilege to have," continued Pioli. "The top seven are all capable of fighting for the title and the first four places. "It's not yet time to look too much at the table, a challenging period will come with many matches and the Europa League is about to start again." - 'My job is to score' - Ibrahimovic showed his incredible form 22 years after making his professional debut for Swedish club Malmo, scoring his first goal in October 1999. "It means that I have scored a few goals in my career," said the Swede, who was substituted off with 15 minutes to go. "The important thing is to continue to help the team in the best possible way. My job is to score and create situations to score." Ibrahimovic reached the landmark in 825 games, having played for three Serie A sides -- Juventus, Inter and Milan -- as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Barcelona, Ajax and Los Angeles Galaxy. He has now scored 396 league goals, 57 in European competitions and 48 in cup games. The former Sweden striker returned to Milan in January 2020 and has scored 27 goals in 37 appearances since. He has scored 14 league goals in 11 games this season having been sidelined with coronavirus and injury, two short of top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 36 on Friday. With 116 games for Sweden and 62 goals, Ibrahimovic is the all-time leading scorer for the Swedish national team. - Immobile lifts Lazio - In Rome, Ciro Immobile scored the only goal as Lazio pushed their winning run to six league games to move ahead of Napoli and level with Roma. Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno kept the relegation-threatened Sardinians in the game for an hour, denying an Immobile header, and getting down to clear a Luis Alberto volley. But he could do nothing to stop Immobile latching on to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's nodded cross with the Italian finishing off with his left foot. Last season's European golden shoe winner has now 14 goals this campaign, equal with Ibrahimovic and Inter's Romelu Lukaku. In the Emilia-Romagna derby, Musa Barrow scored twice within the first half hour with Riccardo Orsolini adding a third in injury time as Bologna got back winning 3-0 against Parma. Bologna move up to 12th with Parma stuck 19th.

'Exceptional' Ibrahimovic breaks 500-goal mark to keep AC Milan top

Lorenzo Insigne scored twice and set up another as Napoli thumped Fiorentina 6-0 on Sunday to move into third in Serie A.

Napoli got back to winning ways in their newly-named Diego Armando Maradona Stadium after falling to promoted Spezia in their last home match.

Gennaro Gattuso's side came out firing despite the absence of midfielder Fabian Ruiz who tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen was also missing.

Insigne got the first goal after just five minutes following good work from Hirving Lozano and Andrea Petagna.

Fiorentina missed three chances to equalise, twice through Cristiano Biraghi, with Napoli keeper David Ospina denying Franck Ribery before the hosts notched three goals in the last nine minutes of the first half.

Petagna found Diego Demme to finish off, with Insigne then bursting through to set up Lozano for the third and Piotr Zielinski adding a fourth before the break.

Fiorentina could find no way past Kalidou Koulibaly and the Napoli defence.

Napoli were awarded a penalty after Gaetano Castrovilli fouled Tiemoue Bakayoko. Insigne converted from the spot for his ninth goal this season.

Substitute Matteo Politano completed the rout with a minute to go as Napoli got a major boost before next week's Italian SuperCup against Juventus.

Napoli move ahead of Roma who lost 3-0 to Lazio on Friday.

"We did well today because we scored all that we created," said Gattuso, whose side are six points behind leaders AC Milan, who travel to Cagliari on Monday.

Champions Juventus, in fifth, travel to second-placed Inter Milan later on Sunday.

Lorenzo Insigne scored twice and set up another as Napoli thumped Fiorentina 6-0 on Sunday to move into third in Serie A. Napoli got back to winning ways in their newly-named Diego Armando Maradona Stadium after falling to promoted Spezia in their last home match.

Lorenzo Insigne scored twice and set up another as Napoli thumped Fiorentina 6-0 on Sunday to move into third in Serie A. Napoli got back to winning ways in their newly-named Diego Armando Maradona Stadium after falling to promoted Spezia in their last home match. Gennaro Gattuso's side came out firing despite the absence of midfielder Fabian Ruiz who tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen was also missing. Insigne got the first goal after just five minutes following good work from Hirving Lozano and Andrea Petagna. Fiorentina missed three chances to equalise, twice through Cristiano Biraghi, with Napoli keeper David Ospina denying Franck Ribery before the hosts notched three goals in the last nine minutes of the first half. Petagna found Diego Demme to finish off, with Insigne then bursting through to set up Lozano for the third and Piotr Zielinski adding a fourth before the break. Fiorentina could find no way past Kalidou Koulibaly and the Napoli defence. Napoli were awarded a penalty after Gaetano Castrovilli fouled Tiemoue Bakayoko. Insigne converted from the spot for his ninth goal this season. Substitute Matteo Politano completed the rout with a minute to go as Napoli got a major boost before next week's Italian SuperCup against Juventus. Napoli move ahead of Roma who lost 3-0 to Lazio on Friday. "We did well today because we scored all that we created," said Gattuso, whose side are six points behind leaders AC Milan, who travel to Cagliari on Monday. Champions Juventus, in fifth, travel to second-placed Inter Milan later on Sunday.

Napoli thrash Fiorentina to go third

Gianluca Mancini`s late goal earned AS Roma a 2-2 draw at home to Inter Milan on Sunday which left the visitors three points behind leaders AC Milan in the Serie A title race. 
 
Lorenzo Pellegrini’s deflected shot put the hosts in front at halftime, but Inter mustered a spirited response and Milan Skriniar headed in a deserved equaliser after the break. 
 
Achraf Hakimi put Inter ahead by curling an outstanding shot in off the bar, but Mancini`s glancing header levelled the scores with four minutes remaining to clinch a sixth consecutive league draw between the two teams. 
 
Inter are in second place on 37 points, three behind city rivals AC Milan, with Roma third on 34 points. 
 
Antonio Conte was looking for a response after Inter`s eight-match winning run was surprisingly ended in a 2-1 defeat by Sampdoria on Wednesday. 
 
They started brightly as Romelu Lukaku threatened twice, Pau Lopez acrobatically palming over his header before Chris Smalling made an important block to deny the Belgian. 
 
But Roma struck on the break to take the lead after 17 minutes, as Jordan Veretout won the ball and sprung a counter-attack that Pellegrini finished off with a deflected shot into the bottom corner. 
 
Inter piled on the pressure after the break and Lopez came to Roma’s rescue again with a point-blank save to deny Lautaro Martinez from six yards. 
 
They soon broke through, however, with two goals in seven minutes, as Skriniar rose to head in a corner and Hakimi fired in a wonder strike on his weaker left foot to make him the top scoring defender in Europe`s top five leagues this season with six goals. 
 
However, Roma responded well and finished on the front foot, as Mancini drew a save from Samir Handanovic before heading in the leveller to maintain his team`s unbeaten home record this season.

Gianluca Mancini`s late goal earned AS Roma a 2-2 draw at home to Inter Milan on Sunday which left the visitors three points behind leaders AC Milan in the Serie A title race.

Gianluca Mancini`s late goal earned AS Roma a 2-2 draw at home to Inter Milan on Sunday which left the visitors three points behind leaders AC Milan in the Serie A title race. Lorenzo Pellegrini’s deflected shot put the hosts in front at halftime, but Inter mustered a spirited response and Milan Skriniar headed in a deserved equaliser after the break. Achraf Hakimi put Inter ahead by curling an outstanding shot in off the bar, but Mancini`s glancing header levelled the scores with four minutes remaining to clinch a sixth consecutive league draw between the two teams. Inter are in second place on 37 points, three behind city rivals AC Milan, with Roma third on 34 points. Antonio Conte was looking for a response after Inter`s eight-match winning run was surprisingly ended in a 2-1 defeat by Sampdoria on Wednesday. They started brightly as Romelu Lukaku threatened twice, Pau Lopez acrobatically palming over his header before Chris Smalling made an important block to deny the Belgian. But Roma struck on the break to take the lead after 17 minutes, as Jordan Veretout won the ball and sprung a counter-attack that Pellegrini finished off with a deflected shot into the bottom corner. Inter piled on the pressure after the break and Lopez came to Roma’s rescue again with a point-blank save to deny Lautaro Martinez from six yards. They soon broke through, however, with two goals in seven minutes, as Skriniar rose to head in a corner and Hakimi fired in a wonder strike on his weaker left foot to make him the top scoring defender in Europe`s top five leagues this season with six goals. However, Roma responded well and finished on the front foot, as Mancini drew a save from Samir Handanovic before heading in the leveller to maintain his team`s unbeaten home record this season.

Roma snatch late equaliser to dent Inter title hopes

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