Federico Chiesa scored a brace as Juventus inflicted a first league defeat this season on Serie A leaders AC Milan, ending their 27-match unbeaten run with a 3-1 win on Wednesday.

Stefano Pioli's side maintained their one-point advantage over city rivals Inter Milan who missed a chance to go top with a 2-1 loss at Sampdoria.

AC Milan had been unbeaten since before the coronavirus lockdown last March, with a run of 12 matches without defeat to complete last season where they finished sixth, and 15 games this campaign.

But Chiesa, who joined from Fiorentina last October, bagged his first brace for the champions, scoring on 18 and 62 minutes in the San Siro with Weston McKennie getting a third with quarter of an hour to go.

"This defeat hurts," said Pioli.

"If there is an opponent against whom we have suffered it is Juventus, who have won the Scudetto for nine years in a row.

"But understanding how bad you feel after a defeat will also help us grow."

The hosts, chasing their first 'Scudetto' since 2011, had been hit hours before kick-off with the news that forward Ante Rebic and midfielder Rade Krunic had tested positive for Covid-19.

The absence of the pair was a blow for the side already without key players including their injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic for an eighth league game.

Juventus pair Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado were also out with coronavirus as the champions moved up to fourth, seven points behind Milan, but having played a game less.

"I saw the spirit of a team that wants to lead and win," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo.&nbsp;

"This match was crucial for us."

Chiesa has come into his own for Pirlo's side who had been dependent on Cristiano Ronaldo's goals this campaign.

Paulo Dybala provided the assists for both Chiesa's goals.

Chiesa rattled the woodwork minutes before picking up a clever Dybala back-heel flick to finish off after 18 minutes.

Rafael Leao send through for Davide Calabria to grab the equaliser four minutes before the break to keep Milan's hopes alive.

But Dybala again teeded up Chiesa to rifle in the second before the pair were replaced by McKennie and Dejan Kulusevski.

Kulusevski provided the pull back for McKennie to seal the victory after 76 minutes.

<h2>- Inter miss out in Genoa -</h2>

Inter's eight-match winning streak came to an halt earlier under the rain in Genoa.

Alexis Sanchez missed an early penalty for Antonio Conte's side who were tripped up by goals from former Inter players Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde.

"I'm sorry because I think we deserved something more. Lady luck was not on our side today," said Conte after their second league defeat this season after Milan last October.

Inter's leading scorer Romelu Lukaku started on the bench as the forward recovers from a muscular problem.

Sanchez started in the Belgian's place but missed the chance to give the visitors an early advantage with Emil Audero saving a penalty.

But Candreva made no mistake from the spot after 22 minutes, sending Samir Handanovic the wrong way after Samp were awarded a penalty for a Nicolo Barella handball.

Keita Balde added a second after 38 minutes following good work from Mikkel Damsgaard, the Danish winger sending the Senegalese forward through to coolly finish.

Lukaku came off the bench with just over an hour gone, two minutes before Stefan de Vrij's header from a Marcelo Brozovic corner reduced the deficit for the visitors.

Third-placed Roma closed the gap on Inter to three points, with a 3-1 win at bottom side Crotone with Borja Mayoral scoring twice and Henrikh Mkhitaryan adding a third from the penalty spot.

Sassuolo beat Genoa 2-1 to move fifth ahead of Napoli who fell to a shock defeat by the same scoreline to 10-man Spezia, for their first loss in their newly-named Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

"I don't know how it's possible to lose a game like this, we had many shots on goal, I had a dozen myself," said Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne.

"I'm seeing a schizophrenic Napoli," blasted coach Gennaro Gattuso.

"It's not just bad luck, this season we're throwing away incredible matches. And that makes me furious."

Seventh-placed Atalanta beat Parma 3-0 to stay ahead of Lazio who got back winning 2-1 against Fiorentina.

Federico Chiesa scored a brace as Juventus inflicted a first league defeat this season on Serie A leaders AC Milan, ending their 27-match unbeaten run with a 3-1 win on Wednesday.

Federico Chiesa scored a brace as Juventus inflicted a first league defeat this season on Serie A leaders AC Milan, ending their 27-match unbeaten run with a 3-1 win on Wednesday. Stefano Pioli's side maintained their one-point advantage over city rivals Inter Milan who missed a chance to go top with a 2-1 loss at Sampdoria. AC Milan had been unbeaten since before the coronavirus lockdown last March, with a run of 12 matches without defeat to complete last season where they finished sixth, and 15 games this campaign. But Chiesa, who joined from Fiorentina last October, bagged his first brace for the champions, scoring on 18 and 62 minutes in the San Siro with Weston McKennie getting a third with quarter of an hour to go. "This defeat hurts," said Pioli. "If there is an opponent against whom we have suffered it is Juventus, who have won the Scudetto for nine years in a row. "But understanding how bad you feel after a defeat will also help us grow." The hosts, chasing their first 'Scudetto' since 2011, had been hit hours before kick-off with the news that forward Ante Rebic and midfielder Rade Krunic had tested positive for Covid-19. The absence of the pair was a blow for the side already without key players including their injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic for an eighth league game. Juventus pair Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado were also out with coronavirus as the champions moved up to fourth, seven points behind Milan, but having played a game less. "I saw the spirit of a team that wants to lead and win," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo. "This match was crucial for us." Chiesa has come into his own for Pirlo's side who had been dependent on Cristiano Ronaldo's goals this campaign. Paulo Dybala provided the assists for both Chiesa's goals. Chiesa rattled the woodwork minutes before picking up a clever Dybala back-heel flick to finish off after 18 minutes. Rafael Leao send through for Davide Calabria to grab the equaliser four minutes before the break to keep Milan's hopes alive. But Dybala again teeded up Chiesa to rifle in the second before the pair were replaced by McKennie and Dejan Kulusevski. Kulusevski provided the pull back for McKennie to seal the victory after 76 minutes. - Inter miss out in Genoa - Inter's eight-match winning streak came to an halt earlier under the rain in Genoa. Alexis Sanchez missed an early penalty for Antonio Conte's side who were tripped up by goals from former Inter players Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde. "I'm sorry because I think we deserved something more. Lady luck was not on our side today," said Conte after their second league defeat this season after Milan last October. Inter's leading scorer Romelu Lukaku started on the bench as the forward recovers from a muscular problem. Sanchez started in the Belgian's place but missed the chance to give the visitors an early advantage with Emil Audero saving a penalty. But Candreva made no mistake from the spot after 22 minutes, sending Samir Handanovic the wrong way after Samp were awarded a penalty for a Nicolo Barella handball. Keita Balde added a second after 38 minutes following good work from Mikkel Damsgaard, the Danish winger sending the Senegalese forward through to coolly finish. Lukaku came off the bench with just over an hour gone, two minutes before Stefan de Vrij's header from a Marcelo Brozovic corner reduced the deficit for the visitors. Third-placed Roma closed the gap on Inter to three points, with a 3-1 win at bottom side Crotone with Borja Mayoral scoring twice and Henrikh Mkhitaryan adding a third from the penalty spot. Sassuolo beat Genoa 2-1 to move fifth ahead of Napoli who fell to a shock defeat by the same scoreline to 10-man Spezia, for their first loss in their newly-named Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. "I don't know how it's possible to lose a game like this, we had many shots on goal, I had a dozen myself," said Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne. "I'm seeing a schizophrenic Napoli," blasted coach Gennaro Gattuso. "It's not just bad luck, this season we're throwing away incredible matches. And that makes me furious." Seventh-placed Atalanta beat Parma 3-0 to stay ahead of Lazio who got back winning 2-1 against Fiorentina.

Juventus end AC Milan's 27-game unbeaten run in Serie A

Inter Milan`s eight-match winning run in Serie A came to an end as two of their former players, Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde Diao, struck to give Sampdoria a shock 2-1 win in Genoa on Wednesday. 
 
Candreva converted from the penalty spot before Keita guided home a finish to give the hosts a two-goal lead at the interval, and a Stefan De Vrij header was all Inter could muster in response. 
 
Alexis Sanchez had a penalty saved by Emil Audero early on but Inter struggled to threaten in the absence of striker Romelu Lukaku, who was only fit enough to feature for the final half hour and couldn`t inspire a comeback. 
 
It meant Antonio Conte’s side squandered the chance to go top of the table ahead of AC Milan, who play Juventus later on Wednesday. 
 
Inter remain in second place on 36 points, one behind their city rivals, while Sampdoria are 11th on 20 points.

Inter Milan`s eight-match winning run in Serie A came to an end as two of their former players, Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde Diao, struck to give Sampdoria a shock 2-1 win in Genoa on Wednesday.

Inter Milan`s eight-match winning run in Serie A came to an end as two of their former players, Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde Diao, struck to give Sampdoria a shock 2-1 win in Genoa on Wednesday. Candreva converted from the penalty spot before Keita guided home a finish to give the hosts a two-goal lead at the interval, and a Stefan De Vrij header was all Inter could muster in response. Alexis Sanchez had a penalty saved by Emil Audero early on but Inter struggled to threaten in the absence of striker Romelu Lukaku, who was only fit enough to feature for the final half hour and couldn`t inspire a comeback. It meant Antonio Conte’s side squandered the chance to go top of the table ahead of AC Milan, who play Juventus later on Wednesday. Inter remain in second place on 36 points, one behind their city rivals, while Sampdoria are 11th on 20 points.

Inter Milan winning run ends with shock Sampdoria defeat

Italian club AS Roma's director Morgan De Sanctis was involved in a car accident in Rome and has been placed in intensive care on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

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According to Italian media reports, the former Italian goalkeeper was rushed to hospital after a serious incident on Rome's busy Via Cristoforo Colombo.&nbsp;

The 43-year-old Italian club's director underwent an operation on an abdominal haemorrhage, where his spleen was removed.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/brazil-legend-pele-updates-his-instagram-bio-after-cristiano-ronaldo-breaks-his-record-354841" hreflang="en">Brazil legend Pele updates his Instagram bio after Cristiano Ronaldo breaks his record</a>

As per the reports, Sanctis is understood to now be conscious and in a stable condition following surgery.

Morgan De Sanctis, who played for clubs like Udinese, Napoli and Roma during his playing career, returned to the capital club in a backroom role in 2017 following his retirement.

(Inputs from Reuters)

Italian club AS Roma's director Morgan De Sanctis was involved in a car accident in Rome and has been placed in intensive care on Tuesday night. ALSO READ: Mesut Ozil to move to Fenerbahce?

Italian club AS Roma's director Morgan De Sanctis was involved in a car accident in Rome and has been placed in intensive care on Tuesday night. ALSO READ: Mesut Ozil to move to Fenerbahce? Turkish media reports fuel speculations According to Italian media reports, the former Italian goalkeeper was rushed to hospital after a serious incident on Rome's busy Via Cristoforo Colombo. The 43-year-old Italian club's director underwent an operation on an abdominal haemorrhage, where his spleen was removed. ALSO READ: Brazil legend Pele updates his Instagram bio after Cristiano Ronaldo breaks his record As per the reports, Sanctis is understood to now be conscious and in a stable condition following surgery. Morgan De Sanctis, who played for clubs like Udinese, Napoli and Roma during his playing career, returned to the capital club in a backroom role in 2017 following his retirement. (Inputs from Reuters)

AS Roma director Morgan De Sanctis in intensive care after being involved in accident

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as champions Juventus bounced back from their first Serie A defeat of the season by beating Udinese 4-1 on Sunday to move up to fifth place.

The Milan clubs are top of the Italian league with Juventus 10 points adrift of the summit having played a game less.

Leaders AC Milan stayed one point ahead of Inter with a 2-0 win over midtable Benevento despite playing an hour a man down.

City rivals Inter crushed lowly Crotone 6-2 with Lautaro Martinez bagging his first hat-trick for the club.

But Milan restored their advantage thanks to a Franck Kessie penalty on 15 minutes and Rafael Leao's terrific curling strike from a tight angle shortly after half-time.

Sandro Tonali's sending off after 33 minutes for a high tackle on Artur Ionita did not hold back Stefano Pioli's side.

Gianluigi Donnarumma was solid in the Milan goal while Gianluca Caprari dragged a penalty wide on the hour.

"We don't let ourselves be put under pressure by the results of the opponents," said Pioli whose side are unbeaten in 27 league games going back to March.

"We're ambitious, we're not hiding it and we aim to win the next match as well against Juventus (on Wednesday)."

Ronaldo once again proved decisive for Juventus scoring a goal in each half to bring his league-leading tally to 14 this campaign and teeing up Federico Chiesa after the break.

Paulo Dybala added the fourth deep into injury time as Andrea Pirlo's side moved on from their shock 3-0 loss to Fiorentina last time out.

"It wasn't the best Juventus because we were coming off a bad defeat, we were a bit fearful at the beginning," said Pirlo.

"Slowly we grew and in the second half we did better. It's a delicate moment but we have to have confidence in what we can achieve and the determination to get there."

At the San Siro, Martinez and Romelu Lukaku combined to devastating effect for Inter who have now won eight league games in a row.

The strike duo were involved in five goals although midfielder Arturo Vidal was hauled off at half-time after conceding a penalty in a woeful display.

Antonio Conte's side had been pegged back 2-2 at the break with Niccolo Zanellato scoring first with a 12th-minute header for the rock bottom Calabrians with the worst attack in the league.

But Martinez picked up a Lukaku cross to pull the hosts level eight minutes later.

Martinez had a role in Inter's second just after half an hour when Crotone defender Luca Marrone turned the ball into his own net under pressure from the Argentina forward.

Vladimir Golemic put the sides level six minutes later after Vidal fouled Arkadiusz Reca, with a furious Conte replacing the Chilean with Stefano Sensi at the break.

<h2>- Roma stay third -</h2>

Martinez restored the lead for Inter before the hour connecting with a Marcelo Brozovic through ball following a Lukaku back-heel, and headed in his third with 12 minutes to go off a rebound.

Lukaku blasted in his 50th goal for Inter after 64 minutes but limped off after taking a knock to his right thigh 10 minutes later, before Achraf Hakimi rounded out the win with three minutes to go.

"There is great desire and it shows," said Conte as Inter target their first Serie A title since 2010 with their European campaign over this season.

Roma held third place, six points behind Inter, with captain Edin Dzeko scoring with a quarter of an hour to go in a 1-0 win in the rain over former Roma coach Claudio Ranieri's Sampdoria.&nbsp;

The capital side are ahead of Napoli who swept past Cagliari 4-1 with Piotr Zielinski scoring twice and Hirving Lozano and Lorenzo Insigne also on target late, the latter from the penalty spot.

In a clash of European rivals, Atalanta whipped Sassuolo 5-1 with Colombian Duvan Zapata scoring twice.

The Bergamo side were again playing without captain Papu Gomez who has fallen out with coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Zapata and Matteo Pessina scored in the first half with the Colombian adding a second just after the break with Robin Gosens and Luis Muriel compounding the rout before Vlad Chiriches pulled a goal back.

Sassuolo are sixth one point ahead of Atalanta who have played a game less.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as champions Juventus bounced back from their first Serie A defeat of the season by beating Udinese 4-1 on Sunday to move up to fifth place.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as champions Juventus bounced back from their first Serie A defeat of the season by beating Udinese 4-1 on Sunday to move up to fifth place. The Milan clubs are top of the Italian league with Juventus 10 points adrift of the summit having played a game less. Leaders AC Milan stayed one point ahead of Inter with a 2-0 win over midtable Benevento despite playing an hour a man down. City rivals Inter crushed lowly Crotone 6-2 with Lautaro Martinez bagging his first hat-trick for the club. But Milan restored their advantage thanks to a Franck Kessie penalty on 15 minutes and Rafael Leao's terrific curling strike from a tight angle shortly after half-time. Sandro Tonali's sending off after 33 minutes for a high tackle on Artur Ionita did not hold back Stefano Pioli's side. Gianluigi Donnarumma was solid in the Milan goal while Gianluca Caprari dragged a penalty wide on the hour. "We don't let ourselves be put under pressure by the results of the opponents," said Pioli whose side are unbeaten in 27 league games going back to March. "We're ambitious, we're not hiding it and we aim to win the next match as well against Juventus (on Wednesday)." Ronaldo once again proved decisive for Juventus scoring a goal in each half to bring his league-leading tally to 14 this campaign and teeing up Federico Chiesa after the break. Paulo Dybala added the fourth deep into injury time as Andrea Pirlo's side moved on from their shock 3-0 loss to Fiorentina last time out. "It wasn't the best Juventus because we were coming off a bad defeat, we were a bit fearful at the beginning," said Pirlo. "Slowly we grew and in the second half we did better. It's a delicate moment but we have to have confidence in what we can achieve and the determination to get there." At the San Siro, Martinez and Romelu Lukaku combined to devastating effect for Inter who have now won eight league games in a row. The strike duo were involved in five goals although midfielder Arturo Vidal was hauled off at half-time after conceding a penalty in a woeful display. Antonio Conte's side had been pegged back 2-2 at the break with Niccolo Zanellato scoring first with a 12th-minute header for the rock bottom Calabrians with the worst attack in the league. But Martinez picked up a Lukaku cross to pull the hosts level eight minutes later. Martinez had a role in Inter's second just after half an hour when Crotone defender Luca Marrone turned the ball into his own net under pressure from the Argentina forward. Vladimir Golemic put the sides level six minutes later after Vidal fouled Arkadiusz Reca, with a furious Conte replacing the Chilean with Stefano Sensi at the break. - Roma stay third - Martinez restored the lead for Inter before the hour connecting with a Marcelo Brozovic through ball following a Lukaku back-heel, and headed in his third with 12 minutes to go off a rebound. Lukaku blasted in his 50th goal for Inter after 64 minutes but limped off after taking a knock to his right thigh 10 minutes later, before Achraf Hakimi rounded out the win with three minutes to go. "There is great desire and it shows," said Conte as Inter target their first Serie A title since 2010 with their European campaign over this season. Roma held third place, six points behind Inter, with captain Edin Dzeko scoring with a quarter of an hour to go in a 1-0 win in the rain over former Roma coach Claudio Ranieri's Sampdoria. The capital side are ahead of Napoli who swept past Cagliari 4-1 with Piotr Zielinski scoring twice and Hirving Lozano and Lorenzo Insigne also on target late, the latter from the penalty spot. In a clash of European rivals, Atalanta whipped Sassuolo 5-1 with Colombian Duvan Zapata scoring twice. The Bergamo side were again playing without captain Papu Gomez who has fallen out with coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Zapata and Matteo Pessina scored in the first half with the Colombian adding a second just after the break with Robin Gosens and Luis Muriel compounding the rout before Vlad Chiriches pulled a goal back. Sassuolo are sixth one point ahead of Atalanta who have played a game less.

Ronaldo double lifts Juve as 10-man Milan stay top ahead of Inter

Andrea Pirlo will be hoping that the turn of the year can inject fresh impetus into his Juventus side when they return to action against Udinese on Sunday with a calamitous end to 2020 fresh in the memory. 
 
The Turin club’s nine-year dominance of Serie A is under threat this season, as the Italian champions must fight their way back into title contention after dropping six points in one day before the winter break. 
 
In the final round of action before Italy’s top division stopped for 10 days, Juventus fell to their first league defeat under Pirlo as struggling Fiorentina stormed to a shock 3-0 win in Turin. 
 
To make matters worse, the defeat came hours after news broke that Napoli had won an appeal against the decision to hand them a one-point deduction and award Juve a 3-0 victory for failing to turn up for their Serie A fixture in Turin in October. 
 
Napoli claimed that they were instructed by their local health authority to stay at home after two squad members had tested positive for COVID-19. 
 
But their appeals to Serie A’s disciplinary tribunal and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) were unsuccessful before the highest tribunal in Italian sport, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) Guarantee Board, ordered that the match be played later in the season. 
 
Juventus therefore lost three points from their league tally, and the subsequent combination of defeat by Fiorentina and leaders AC Milan`s late win away to Lazio suddenly left the champions down in sixth place and 10 points off top – having started the day in third and four points from first place. 
 
This sequence of events has left Pirlo and his side with a mountain to climb if they are to retain the domestic crown they`ve had an unshakeable grip on for almost a decade. 
 
Juventus` performance against Fiorentina also troubled the rookie coach, who has had a season of ups and downs since taking on his first managerial job by replacing Maurizio Sarri last year. 
 
"The attitude was wrong," he complained after the match. "We were thinking about the holidays already." 
 
Defender Leonardo Bonucci apologised to fans on social media, saying it was "the worst Juventus of the season". 
 
There will be little room for error when mid-table Udinese visit the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, as it is Juventus’ final test before they travel to San Siro to face unbeaten Milan on Wednesday. 
 
The league leaders travel to Benevento on Sunday, while second-placed Inter Milan, one point below them, host Crotone in the lunchtime kick-off. 
 
Third-placed AS Roma host Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria, while surprise package Sassuolo in fourth will welcome Atalanta to the Mapei Stadium in an intriguing meeting of two entertaining teams.

Andrea Pirlo will be hoping that the turn of the year can inject fresh impetus into his Juventus side when they return to action against Udinese on Sunday with a calamitous end to 2020 fresh in the memory.

Andrea Pirlo will be hoping that the turn of the year can inject fresh impetus into his Juventus side when they return to action against Udinese on Sunday with a calamitous end to 2020 fresh in the memory. The Turin club’s nine-year dominance of Serie A is under threat this season, as the Italian champions must fight their way back into title contention after dropping six points in one day before the winter break. In the final round of action before Italy’s top division stopped for 10 days, Juventus fell to their first league defeat under Pirlo as struggling Fiorentina stormed to a shock 3-0 win in Turin. To make matters worse, the defeat came hours after news broke that Napoli had won an appeal against the decision to hand them a one-point deduction and award Juve a 3-0 victory for failing to turn up for their Serie A fixture in Turin in October. Napoli claimed that they were instructed by their local health authority to stay at home after two squad members had tested positive for COVID-19. But their appeals to Serie A’s disciplinary tribunal and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) were unsuccessful before the highest tribunal in Italian sport, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) Guarantee Board, ordered that the match be played later in the season. Juventus therefore lost three points from their league tally, and the subsequent combination of defeat by Fiorentina and leaders AC Milan`s late win away to Lazio suddenly left the champions down in sixth place and 10 points off top – having started the day in third and four points from first place. This sequence of events has left Pirlo and his side with a mountain to climb if they are to retain the domestic crown they`ve had an unshakeable grip on for almost a decade. Juventus` performance against Fiorentina also troubled the rookie coach, who has had a season of ups and downs since taking on his first managerial job by replacing Maurizio Sarri last year. "The attitude was wrong," he complained after the match. "We were thinking about the holidays already." Defender Leonardo Bonucci apologised to fans on social media, saying it was "the worst Juventus of the season". There will be little room for error when mid-table Udinese visit the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, as it is Juventus’ final test before they travel to San Siro to face unbeaten Milan on Wednesday. The league leaders travel to Benevento on Sunday, while second-placed Inter Milan, one point below them, host Crotone in the lunchtime kick-off. Third-placed AS Roma host Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria, while surprise package Sassuolo in fourth will welcome Atalanta to the Mapei Stadium in an intriguing meeting of two entertaining teams.

Juventus aim to get back on course after disastrous end to 2020

Romelu Lukaku scored from the penalty spot as Inter Milan battled past title rivals Napoli 1-0 on Wednesday to move one point behind Serie A leaders and city rivals AC Milan who were held at Genoa.

Defending champions Juventus sit three points behind Inter after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in a 1-1 home draw with Atalanta.

Napoli -- who played the final quarter of an hour a man down after captain Lorenzo Insigne was sent off -- drop to fourth, a further point adrift.

Insigne saw red for arguing with the referee after goalkeeper David Ospina fouled Inter's Matteo Darmian to concede the crucial spot-kick.

"Only in Italy players are thrown out for this stuff," fumed Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso, blasting "a dubious penalty".

Napoli also saw club record scorer Dries Mertens limp off with an ankle injury in the first half.

Lukaku stepped up to slot in on 73 minutes for his 10th league goal this season, joining Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the top of the Serie A goalscoring chart.

Inter could also thank goalkeeper Samir Handanovic&nbsp;for their clean sheet, denying Insigne and Giovanni Di Lorenzo late on.

For Antonio Conte's Inter it was a fifth consecutive league win as they target a first Scudetto since 2010, with their European hopes now over.

"It was a painful victory that can do us good," said Conte.&nbsp;"These are three important points because against a rival and a great team like Napoli they are worth double."

AC Milan, playing a fourth consecutive league game without the injured Ibrahimovic, came from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw as Mattia Destro scored a double for Genoa.

The Italian striker tapped in a rebound after Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Eldor Shomurodov just after the break.

Five minutes later, Davide Calabria's long-range effort pulled Milan level before Destro headed in a second on the hour.

But French defender Pierre Kalulu nodded in from close range to rescue a second consecutive draw for Milan, who stay unbeaten in Serie A since March and are looking to deny Juventus a 10th straight league triumph this season.

"We had six players out and had to grit our teeth but those who played proved to be up to par," said coach Stefano Pioli.&nbsp;

"Our club has not been in the Champions League for many years and that is our goal."

&nbsp;

<h2>- Sixth Juventus stalemate -</h2>

&nbsp;

In Turin, unbeaten Juventus were held for the sixth time in Serie A this term.

Federico Chiesa curled in a powerful shot to put Juventus ahead before the half-hour mark.

But Atalanta hit back with Remo Freuler grabbing the equaliser 12 minutes into the second half, shortly after captain Papu Gomez came off the bench.

The build-up to the game had been overshadowed by tensions between coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Gomez, left out of their last two league games amid speculation he could leave the Bergamo club in January.

Ronaldo, who had fired over the target in the fifth minute, had a rare penalty miss after an hour following a Hans Hateboer foul on Chiesa.

The Portuguese striker's weak effort was easily saved by Atalanta keeper Pierluigi Gollini.

Spaniard Alvaro Morata had missed a golden chance after 12 minutes, sending a weak back-heel flick wide in front of an open goal.

At the other end of the pitch, Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saved a Cristian Romero header with a quarter of an hour to go.

"You have to take these games home," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo.

"We had many opportunities and we weren't able to close it. When you leave the game in the balance anything can happen."

Atalanta, who also held Juventus the last time they played in Turin last July, are eighth, 10 points behind AC Milan, after a slow start to the campaign.

"It's a great result," said Gasperini. "We were very good, at one point we were convinced of winning it.&nbsp;

"We played with personality against a team that are one of the favourites for the Scudetto."

Fifth-placed Sassuolo drew 1-1 at Fiorentina, whose winless run stretched to seven games.

Romelu Lukaku scored from the penalty spot as Inter Milan battled past title rivals Napoli 1-0 on Wednesday to move one point behind Serie A leaders and city rivals AC Milan who were held at Genoa.

Romelu Lukaku scored from the penalty spot as Inter Milan battled past title rivals Napoli 1-0 on Wednesday to move one point behind Serie A leaders and city rivals AC Milan who were held at Genoa. Defending champions Juventus sit three points behind Inter after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in a 1-1 home draw with Atalanta. Napoli -- who played the final quarter of an hour a man down after captain Lorenzo Insigne was sent off -- drop to fourth, a further point adrift. Insigne saw red for arguing with the referee after goalkeeper David Ospina fouled Inter's Matteo Darmian to concede the crucial spot-kick. "Only in Italy players are thrown out for this stuff," fumed Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso, blasting "a dubious penalty". Napoli also saw club record scorer Dries Mertens limp off with an ankle injury in the first half. Lukaku stepped up to slot in on 73 minutes for his 10th league goal this season, joining Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the top of the Serie A goalscoring chart. Inter could also thank goalkeeper Samir Handanovic for their clean sheet, denying Insigne and Giovanni Di Lorenzo late on. For Antonio Conte's Inter it was a fifth consecutive league win as they target a first Scudetto since 2010, with their European hopes now over. "It was a painful victory that can do us good," said Conte. "These are three important points because against a rival and a great team like Napoli they are worth double." AC Milan, playing a fourth consecutive league game without the injured Ibrahimovic, came from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw as Mattia Destro scored a double for Genoa. The Italian striker tapped in a rebound after Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Eldor Shomurodov just after the break. Five minutes later, Davide Calabria's long-range effort pulled Milan level before Destro headed in a second on the hour. But French defender Pierre Kalulu nodded in from close range to rescue a second consecutive draw for Milan, who stay unbeaten in Serie A since March and are looking to deny Juventus a 10th straight league triumph this season. "We had six players out and had to grit our teeth but those who played proved to be up to par," said coach Stefano Pioli. "Our club has not been in the Champions League for many years and that is our goal." - Sixth Juventus stalemate - In Turin, unbeaten Juventus were held for the sixth time in Serie A this term. Federico Chiesa curled in a powerful shot to put Juventus ahead before the half-hour mark. But Atalanta hit back with Remo Freuler grabbing the equaliser 12 minutes into the second half, shortly after captain Papu Gomez came off the bench. The build-up to the game had been overshadowed by tensions between coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Gomez, left out of their last two league games amid speculation he could leave the Bergamo club in January. Ronaldo, who had fired over the target in the fifth minute, had a rare penalty miss after an hour following a Hans Hateboer foul on Chiesa. The Portuguese striker's weak effort was easily saved by Atalanta keeper Pierluigi Gollini. Spaniard Alvaro Morata had missed a golden chance after 12 minutes, sending a weak back-heel flick wide in front of an open goal. At the other end of the pitch, Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saved a Cristian Romero header with a quarter of an hour to go. "You have to take these games home," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo. "We had many opportunities and we weren't able to close it. When you leave the game in the balance anything can happen." Atalanta, who also held Juventus the last time they played in Turin last July, are eighth, 10 points behind AC Milan, after a slow start to the campaign. "It's a great result," said Gasperini. "We were very good, at one point we were convinced of winning it. "We played with personality against a team that are one of the favourites for the Scudetto." Fifth-placed Sassuolo drew 1-1 at Fiorentina, whose winless run stretched to seven games.

Inter close gap on leaders AC Milan, Ronaldo penalty miss stalls Juve

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 100th game for Juventus with a pair of penalties in a 3-1 success over Genoa on Sunday, as the champions closed the gap on Serie A leaders AC Milan who were held at home against Parma.

French defender Theo Hernandez's brace rescued a point at the death for AC Milan who came from two goals down to draw 2-2 in the San Siro.

Milan's lead on second-placed Inter was cut to three points after Antonio Conte's side staged a 3-1 comeback win at Cagliari.

Napoli, in third, are a further point adrift after beating Sampdoria 2-1, equal on points with nine-time reigning champions Juventus.

Playing without injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan had looked set for their first league defeat this season.

Hakan Calhanoglu rattled the woodwork three times with Brahim Diaz also hitting the post for the hosts before Hernani put Parma ahead after quarter of an hour.

The Brazilian midfielder then set up Jasmin Kurtic for the second after 56 minutes.

But two minutes later Hernandez headed in off a Calhanoglu corner with the French defender adding a second in injury time off a rebound.

"It wasn't the best night but we had the quality to bring home an important draw which boosts our self-esteem," said coach Stefano Pioli.

"While Ibra gives us a lot of presence, we did well even without him. We have shown strength, especially psychologically, it's a step forward."

Chasing a first league title since 2011, Milan are unbeaten in the first 11 matches of a Serie A season since the 2003/2004, when they also won the 'Scudetto'.&nbsp;

In Genoa, Juventus were boosted after their 3-0 Champions League win in Barcelona, with Paulo Dybala getting his first goal this season.

Stefano Sturaro levelled for the hosts after an hour.&nbsp;

But Nicolo Rovella's foul on Juan Cuadrado allowed Ronaldo to slot in his first penalty after 78 minutes with the second coming a minute from time after goalkeeper Mattia Perin brought down Alvaro Morata.

Genoa sink to second from bottom of the league.

<h2>- Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic lead way -</h2>

Ronaldo, 35, joins 39-year-old Ibrahimovic as leading scorer in Serie A with 10 goals this season, for a total of 79 since joining Juventus in 2018.

"What better way to celebrate my 100th game for Juventus, than scoring two more goals for the team?" Ronaldo said on Twitter before vowing to reach 100 goals for the reigning champions.

Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku, 27, is just behind with nine goals after scoring the third against Cagliari in injury time.

Conte's side are out of Europe with their focus now on a first Serie A title since 2010.&nbsp;

They fought back after trailing with a quarter of an hour to go in Sardinia.

Former Cagliari player Nicolo Barella volleyed in the equaliser after 77 minutes with Danilo D'Ambrosio coming off the bench to immediately nod in a second with six minutes to go.

Napoli got their first win in their newly named Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, renamed after the Argentina legend who led the club to their only league titles in 1987 and 1990 and the UEFA Cup in 1989.

Jakub Jankto put Sampdoria ahead in the 20th minute, but Hirving Lozano came off the bench in the second half to spark a Napoli revival.

Lozano got his head to a Dries Mertens cross seven minutes after the break with the Mexican international then crossing for Andrea Petagna to nod in the winner with 22 minutes remaining.

Roma got back to winning ways with an emphatic 5-1 victory at Bologna.

All six goals came in the first half at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

Bologna's Andrea Poli turned into his own net after five minutes before Edin Dzeko added a second to give the hosts a two-goal advantage after 10 minutes.

Lorenzo Pellegrini, Jordan Veretout and Henrikh Mkhitaryan added three more before the break, with a Bryan Cristante own goal putting Bologna on the scoresheet.

In Bergamo, Atalanta eased past Fiorentina 3-0, with goals from Robin Gosens, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Rafael Toloi.

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 100th game for Juventus with a pair of penalties in a 3-1 success over Genoa on Sunday, as the champions closed the gap on Serie A leaders AC Milan who were held at home against Parma.

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 100th game for Juventus with a pair of penalties in a 3-1 success over Genoa on Sunday, as the champions closed the gap on Serie A leaders AC Milan who were held at home against Parma. French defender Theo Hernandez's brace rescued a point at the death for AC Milan who came from two goals down to draw 2-2 in the San Siro. Milan's lead on second-placed Inter was cut to three points after Antonio Conte's side staged a 3-1 comeback win at Cagliari. Napoli, in third, are a further point adrift after beating Sampdoria 2-1, equal on points with nine-time reigning champions Juventus. Playing without injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan had looked set for their first league defeat this season. Hakan Calhanoglu rattled the woodwork three times with Brahim Diaz also hitting the post for the hosts before Hernani put Parma ahead after quarter of an hour. The Brazilian midfielder then set up Jasmin Kurtic for the second after 56 minutes. But two minutes later Hernandez headed in off a Calhanoglu corner with the French defender adding a second in injury time off a rebound. "It wasn't the best night but we had the quality to bring home an important draw which boosts our self-esteem," said coach Stefano Pioli. "While Ibra gives us a lot of presence, we did well even without him. We have shown strength, especially psychologically, it's a step forward." Chasing a first league title since 2011, Milan are unbeaten in the first 11 matches of a Serie A season since the 2003/2004, when they also won the 'Scudetto'. In Genoa, Juventus were boosted after their 3-0 Champions League win in Barcelona, with Paulo Dybala getting his first goal this season. Stefano Sturaro levelled for the hosts after an hour. But Nicolo Rovella's foul on Juan Cuadrado allowed Ronaldo to slot in his first penalty after 78 minutes with the second coming a minute from time after goalkeeper Mattia Perin brought down Alvaro Morata. Genoa sink to second from bottom of the league. - Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic lead way - Ronaldo, 35, joins 39-year-old Ibrahimovic as leading scorer in Serie A with 10 goals this season, for a total of 79 since joining Juventus in 2018. "What better way to celebrate my 100th game for Juventus, than scoring two more goals for the team?" Ronaldo said on Twitter before vowing to reach 100 goals for the reigning champions. Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku, 27, is just behind with nine goals after scoring the third against Cagliari in injury time. Conte's side are out of Europe with their focus now on a first Serie A title since 2010. They fought back after trailing with a quarter of an hour to go in Sardinia. Former Cagliari player Nicolo Barella volleyed in the equaliser after 77 minutes with Danilo D'Ambrosio coming off the bench to immediately nod in a second with six minutes to go. Napoli got their first win in their newly named Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, renamed after the Argentina legend who led the club to their only league titles in 1987 and 1990 and the UEFA Cup in 1989. Jakub Jankto put Sampdoria ahead in the 20th minute, but Hirving Lozano came off the bench in the second half to spark a Napoli revival. Lozano got his head to a Dries Mertens cross seven minutes after the break with the Mexican international then crossing for Andrea Petagna to nod in the winner with 22 minutes remaining. Roma got back to winning ways with an emphatic 5-1 victory at Bologna. All six goals came in the first half at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara. Bologna's Andrea Poli turned into his own net after five minutes before Edin Dzeko added a second to give the hosts a two-goal advantage after 10 minutes. Lorenzo Pellegrini, Jordan Veretout and Henrikh Mkhitaryan added three more before the break, with a Bryan Cristante own goal putting Bologna on the scoresheet. In Bergamo, Atalanta eased past Fiorentina 3-0, with goals from Robin Gosens, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Rafael Toloi.

Ronaldo marks Juve century as late Hernandez brace rescues AC Milan

Inter Milan scored three times in the last 15 minutes as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Cagliari in a dramatic Serie A match on Sunday. 
 
Inter, knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday after finishing bottom of their group, missed a flurry of chances in the first half hour, and Riccardo Sottil made them pay when he volleyed midtable Cagliari ahead in the 42nd minute. 
 
The visitors lost their way after the break but levelled out of the blue when Nicolo Barella volleyed home against his old club in the 77th minute before substitute Danilo D`Ambrosio headed a second seven minutes later, less than a minute after coming on. 
 
Romelu Lukaku broke away to score a third in stoppage time as Inter moved back into second place with 24 points from 11 games, two behind leaders AC Milan who play at home against Parma later on Sunday.

Inter Milan scored three times in the last 15 minutes as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Cagliari in a dramatic Serie A match on Sunday. Inter, knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday after finishing bottom of their group, missed a flurry of chances in the first half hour, and Riccardo Sottil made them pay when he volleyed midtable Cagliari ahead in the 42nd minute.

Inter Milan scored three times in the last 15 minutes as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Cagliari in a dramatic Serie A match on Sunday. Inter, knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday after finishing bottom of their group, missed a flurry of chances in the first half hour, and Riccardo Sottil made them pay when he volleyed midtable Cagliari ahead in the 42nd minute. The visitors lost their way after the break but levelled out of the blue when Nicolo Barella volleyed home against his old club in the 77th minute before substitute Danilo D`Ambrosio headed a second seven minutes later, less than a minute after coming on. Romelu Lukaku broke away to score a third in stoppage time as Inter moved back into second place with 24 points from 11 games, two behind leaders AC Milan who play at home against Parma later on Sunday.

Serie A: Inter fight back late to win 3-1 at Cagliari

In what comes as shocking news in the world of football, the Italian Football Association FIGC has launched an investigation into Serie A giants Lazio over suspicion for violating health protocols related to COVID-19.&nbsp;

Reportedly, three players in Ciro Immobile, Thomas Strakosha and Lucas Leiva were tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus and were barred from playing in UEFA Champions League match against Club Brugge. However, the trio went onto play in a Serie A match against Torino, several days later in the Serie A. Lazio won the match 4-3 with Immobile scoring the winning goal.&nbsp;

The FIGC has now requested the results of the test conducted for COVID-19.

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Lazio president Claudio Lolito and physician Ivo Pulcini have already been interrogated about the incident by the FIGC. According to reports, if Lazio are found guilty of breaching the COVID-19 rules or even manipulating the results of coronavirus tests then the Italian giants could face several penalties including hefty fines, points deduction or even relegation from Serie A.

Reportedly, Lazio had not informed the health authorities about Immobile testing positive for COVID-19. Immobile had tested positive on October 26 and November 2. However, two other tests carried on October 30 and 31 returned negative.

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Lazio then went on to use their skipper and prolific goalscorer last Sunday in the Serie A game against Torino in the second half. Apparently, Lazio have said that striker had very low positivity from the virus from the first test.

Both Immobile and Leiva weren’t allowed to enter Russia for their UCL match against Zenit St. Petersburg. 
Lazio are still awaiting results of Immobile and Leiva for their availability in Serie A match against Juventus.

&nbsp;

In what comes as shocking news in the world of football, the Italian Football Association FIGC has launched an investigation into Serie A giants Lazio over suspicion for violating health protocols related to COVID-19.

In what comes as shocking news in the world of football, the Italian Football Association FIGC has launched an investigation into Serie A giants Lazio over suspicion for violating health protocols related to COVID-19. Reportedly, three players in Ciro Immobile, Thomas Strakosha and Lucas Leiva were tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus and were barred from playing in UEFA Champions League match against Club Brugge. However, the trio went onto play in a Serie A match against Torino, several days later in the Serie A. Lazio won the match 4-3 with Immobile scoring the winning goal. The FIGC has now requested the results of the test conducted for COVID-19. ALSO READ: Cristiano Ronaldo to return for Portugal against France, Croatia Lazio president Claudio Lolito and physician Ivo Pulcini have already been interrogated about the incident by the FIGC. According to reports, if Lazio are found guilty of breaching the COVID-19 rules or even manipulating the results of coronavirus tests then the Italian giants could face several penalties including hefty fines, points deduction or even relegation from Serie A. Reportedly, Lazio had not informed the health authorities about Immobile testing positive for COVID-19. Immobile had tested positive on October 26 and November 2. However, two other tests carried on October 30 and 31 returned negative. ALSO READ: Ole out? Manchester United approach Mauricio Pochettino about becoming next manager Lazio then went on to use their skipper and prolific goalscorer last Sunday in the Serie A game against Torino in the second half. Apparently, Lazio have said that striker had very low positivity from the virus from the first test. Both Immobile and Leiva weren’t allowed to enter Russia for their UCL match against Zenit St. Petersburg. Lazio are still awaiting results of Immobile and Leiva for their availability in Serie A match against Juventus.

Lazio to face relegation from Serie A? FIGC launch investigation over alleged COVID-19 report manipulation

Italy's top-tier football league Serie A chief Paolo Dal Pino on Tuesday has tested positive for coronavirus. Gabriele Gravina, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president, has gone into isolation too, as per both organisations' statement.

Italy's top-tier football league Serie A chief Paolo Dal Pino on Tuesday has tested positive for coronavirus. Gabriele Gravina, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president, has gone into isolation too, as per both organisations' statement. "President Paolo Dal Pino tested positive for COVID-19 following a swab carried out yesterday (Monday)," the Italian top-flight said in a statement. "Asymptomatic and in isolation at home, he will follow the procedures set out in the health protocol." As a result of 58-year-old Dal Pino's positive, the FIGC said Gravina, 67, "for prudential purposes, in the absence of symptoms" had also decided to self-isolate. Earlier, defending champions Juventus informed that the entire squad has gone into isolation after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Turin giants confirmed those returning positive tests were "neither players nor members of the technical or medical staff". (Inputs from AFP)

Serie A: League president Dal Pino positive for virus, Gravina in isolation

Serie A champions Juventus on Saturday informed that the entire squad has gone into isolation after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. &nbsp;

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Turin giants confirmed those returning positive tests were "neither players nor members of the technical or medical staff".

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Team in fiduciary isolation<a href="https://t.co/iVRUG23N4e">https://t.co/iVRUG23N4e</a> <a href="https://t.co/GWe5dRxHsj">pic.twitter.com/GWe5dRxHsj</a>
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) <a href="https://twitter.com/juventusfcen/status/1312430765041475584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"This procedure will allow all members who tested negative to the controls to carry out regular training and match activities, but will not be allowed contact with outside the group," the club said in a statement.

"The club is in constant contact with the competent health authorities."

Serie A champions Juventus on Saturday informed that the entire squad has gone into isolation after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Also read: Edinson Cavani set to Manchester United on a two-year deal: Reports Turin giants confirmed those returning positive tests were "neither players nor members of the technical or medical staff".

Serie A champions Juventus on Saturday informed that the entire squad has gone into isolation after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Also read: Edinson Cavani set to Manchester United on a two-year deal: Reports Turin giants confirmed those returning positive tests were "neither players nor members of the technical or medical staff". Team in fiduciary isolationhttps://t.co/iVRUG23N4e pic.twitter.com/GWe5dRxHsj — JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) October 3, 2020 × "This procedure will allow all members who tested negative to the controls to carry out regular training and match activities, but will not be allowed contact with outside the group," the club said in a statement. "The club is in constant contact with the competent health authorities."

Juventus squad in isolation after couple of staff members test positive for coronavirus

In a highly-anticipated first clash between two former stars of Italy and AC Milan now chasing coaching glory, Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli test their 'Scudetto' ambitions at Andrea Pirlo's Juventus on Sunday.

Both won the 2006 World Cup for Italy and spent a decade as AC Milan teammates, winning two Serie A titles and two Champions League crowns together.

It is a clash which Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte can't wait to see.

"Juve v Napoli? I'll enjoy watching it," said Conte, who coached Pirlo as a player to the first three of Juventus's current run of nine Serie A titles.

"Napoli are underestimated a lot," continued Conte.&nbsp;

"They are an excellent team, they are among the favourites for the Scudetto.&nbsp;

"They have a staff and a very good coach who will make life difficult for everyone."

Gattuso begins his second season on the Napoli bench having taken over from Carlo Ancelotti last December. The club finished seventh but qualified for the Europa League after winning the Italian Cup, their first trophy in six years.

Former Glasgow Rangers defensive midfielder Gattuso has been coaching since he hung up his boots in 2013, with the bulk of his footballing career spent at AC Milan.

He had stints at Sion, Palermo, Crete and Pisa before returning to Milan where he trained the youth team before coaching the first-team for 18 months.

The 42-year-old left Milan after the team missed the Champions League by just one point.

By contrast, Pirlo, 41, had no coaching experience before taking over from Maurizio Sarri, receiving his coaching diploma days before the season kicked off.

"Well he's stuck now! That's the job," quipped Gattuso on hearing Pirlo's appointment.

"He's lucky to be starting at Juventus, but this profession is one where a great playing career is not enough. You have to study, to work hard, and you don't get much sleep."

<h2>Coronavirus tests&nbsp;</h2>

This season Gattuso has the ambitious task of winning a first Serie A title since the days of Napoli legend Diego Maradona in 1990.

Pirlo is counting on extending Juventus's winning streak to 10 consecutive Serie A titles.

Napoli are top of the Italian league table after two games with a win over Parma, and a 6-0 hammering of Genoa last time out.

Pirlo's Juventus is a team "under construction". They were held 2-2 by Roma last weekend.

As Napoli sit equal on maximum points with Inter Milan, Atalanta, Hellas Verona and AC Milan, Juve have four points.

Napoli are awaiting the results of a second round of coronavirus tests as last week's opponents Genoa had 16 positive tests this week, including 12 players.&nbsp;

Genoa's game against Torino on Saturday has been postponed.

A first round of swabs at Napoli came back negative, with the results of the second series of tests expected on Friday.

Inter, who have scored nine goals in their first two matches, take on a Lazio hurting after their 4-1 defeat to Atalanta in the Stadio Olimpico.

"Inter have been considered an outsider for many years, now we have acquired credibility," said Conte of last season's runenrs-up.

High-scoring Atalanta next host Cagliari with Hellas Verona&nbsp;looking for a third consecutive win at Parma.

Roma head for Udinese looking for their first win, with the north-easterners reeling after losing to promoted La Spezia, who next challenge AC Milan.

In a highly-anticipated first clash between two former stars of Italy and AC Milan now chasing coaching glory, Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli test their 'Scudetto' ambitions at Andrea Pirlo's Juventus on Sunday.

In a highly-anticipated first clash between two former stars of Italy and AC Milan now chasing coaching glory, Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli test their 'Scudetto' ambitions at Andrea Pirlo's Juventus on Sunday. Both won the 2006 World Cup for Italy and spent a decade as AC Milan teammates, winning two Serie A titles and two Champions League crowns together. It is a clash which Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte can't wait to see. "Juve v Napoli? I'll enjoy watching it," said Conte, who coached Pirlo as a player to the first three of Juventus's current run of nine Serie A titles. "Napoli are underestimated a lot," continued Conte. "They are an excellent team, they are among the favourites for the Scudetto. "They have a staff and a very good coach who will make life difficult for everyone." Gattuso begins his second season on the Napoli bench having taken over from Carlo Ancelotti last December. The club finished seventh but qualified for the Europa League after winning the Italian Cup, their first trophy in six years. Former Glasgow Rangers defensive midfielder Gattuso has been coaching since he hung up his boots in 2013, with the bulk of his footballing career spent at AC Milan. He had stints at Sion, Palermo, Crete and Pisa before returning to Milan where he trained the youth team before coaching the first-team for 18 months. The 42-year-old left Milan after the team missed the Champions League by just one point. By contrast, Pirlo, 41, had no coaching experience before taking over from Maurizio Sarri, receiving his coaching diploma days before the season kicked off. "Well he's stuck now! That's the job," quipped Gattuso on hearing Pirlo's appointment. "He's lucky to be starting at Juventus, but this profession is one where a great playing career is not enough. You have to study, to work hard, and you don't get much sleep." Coronavirus tests This season Gattuso has the ambitious task of winning a first Serie A title since the days of Napoli legend Diego Maradona in 1990. Pirlo is counting on extending Juventus's winning streak to 10 consecutive Serie A titles. Napoli are top of the Italian league table after two games with a win over Parma, and a 6-0 hammering of Genoa last time out. Pirlo's Juventus is a team "under construction". They were held 2-2 by Roma last weekend. As Napoli sit equal on maximum points with Inter Milan, Atalanta, Hellas Verona and AC Milan, Juve have four points. Napoli are awaiting the results of a second round of coronavirus tests as last week's opponents Genoa had 16 positive tests this week, including 12 players. Genoa's game against Torino on Saturday has been postponed. A first round of swabs at Napoli came back negative, with the results of the second series of tests expected on Friday. Inter, who have scored nine goals in their first two matches, take on a Lazio hurting after their 4-1 defeat to Atalanta in the Stadio Olimpico. "Inter have been considered an outsider for many years, now we have acquired credibility," said Conte of last season's runenrs-up. High-scoring Atalanta next host Cagliari with Hellas Verona looking for a third consecutive win at Parma. Roma head for Udinese looking for their first win, with the north-easterners reeling after losing to promoted La Spezia, who next challenge AC Milan.

Pirlo v Gattuso: World Cup-winners face off as Napoli test Juventus

Roma legend Francesco Totti on Monday visited a teenage girl in hospital who emerged from a nine-month coma after hearing a recording of the former Italian football star's voice.

Ilenia Matilli, an 19-year-old footballer with Lazio's women's team but a great fan of city rivals Roma, was left in a coma last December by a car accident in which her friend was killed.

Former World Cup winner Totti had recorded a video message a few months ago, urging: "Ilenia don't give up, you'll do it, we are all with you".

Matilli finally emerged from the coma and as promised Totti, 43, on Monday visited her in Rome's Gemelli hospital where she is undergoing rehabilitation.

"She smiled at me, hugged me and started crying," Totti told journalists after the meeting which lasted over an hour and a half.&nbsp;

"It was very exciting to meet Ilenia, when she comes out of hospital we will meet again."

Her father Stefano Matilli told Corriere Della Sera: "I have to thank a friend of my daughter who had the idea of contacting Francesco Totti and having him record a message.

"Francesco accepted immediately, you can see that he is a person with a good heart, talking to him today in the hospital was like talking to a brother."

Matilli can still not speak, but makes herself understood by gestures and expresses herself through a tablet on which she writes.&nbsp;

"Don't give up, you'll make it," said Totti.

"Hurry up and get well. I'll come and visit you at home when you can talk and walk."

Neurologist Professor Luca Padua praised Totti's "great ability to manage a difficult situation".

"The former captain did not imagine such a dramatic situation but in the end the atmosphere was very cheerful."

Totti, a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, spent 25 years at Roma as a player before moving upstairs to the boardroom.

Roma legend Francesco Totti on Monday visited a teenage girl in hospital who emerged from a nine-month coma after hearing a recording of the former Italian football star's voice.

Roma legend Francesco Totti on Monday visited a teenage girl in hospital who emerged from a nine-month coma after hearing a recording of the former Italian football star's voice. Ilenia Matilli, an 19-year-old footballer with Lazio's women's team but a great fan of city rivals Roma, was left in a coma last December by a car accident in which her friend was killed. Former World Cup winner Totti had recorded a video message a few months ago, urging: "Ilenia don't give up, you'll do it, we are all with you". Matilli finally emerged from the coma and as promised Totti, 43, on Monday visited her in Rome's Gemelli hospital where she is undergoing rehabilitation. "She smiled at me, hugged me and started crying," Totti told journalists after the meeting which lasted over an hour and a half. "It was very exciting to meet Ilenia, when she comes out of hospital we will meet again." Her father Stefano Matilli told Corriere Della Sera: "I have to thank a friend of my daughter who had the idea of contacting Francesco Totti and having him record a message. "Francesco accepted immediately, you can see that he is a person with a good heart, talking to him today in the hospital was like talking to a brother." Matilli can still not speak, but makes herself understood by gestures and expresses herself through a tablet on which she writes. "Don't give up, you'll make it," said Totti. "Hurry up and get well. I'll come and visit you at home when you can talk and walk." Neurologist Professor Luca Padua praised Totti's "great ability to manage a difficult situation". "The former captain did not imagine such a dramatic situation but in the end the atmosphere was very cheerful." Totti, a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, spent 25 years at Roma as a player before moving upstairs to the boardroom.

Roma legend Totti visits girl awakened from coma by his voice

Serie A side Lazio on Tuesday confirmed the signing of Kosovo international striker Vedat Muriqi from Turkish club Fenerbahce. "Lazio announces the definitive purchase of the player Vedat Muriqi from Fenerbahce," the Roman club said in a brief statement.

Serie A side Lazio on Tuesday confirmed the signing of Kosovo international striker Vedat Muriqi from Turkish club Fenerbahce. "Lazio announces the definitive purchase of the player Vedat Muriqi from Fenerbahce," the Roman club said in a brief statement. Muriqi will join Serie A's top scorer Ciro Immobile in the club as Lazio returns to Champions League football this season. Simone Inzaghi's side is reported to have spent 20 million euros ($23 million) for the services of the 26-year-old forward on a five-year deal. The Italian top-flight kicks off this weekend but Lazio's opener against Atalanta has been pushed back until September 30 because of the Bergamo club's Champions League 'Final Eight' campaign last month. The Italian club came fourth in last season and will begin with their Serie A campaign against Cagliari on September 26. Talking about transfers, Dutch daily De Telegraaf on Tuesday reported that Lyon striker Memphis Depay has completed his transfer to Barcelona which is worth 25 million euros ($29.6 million). Depay has been regularly a part of the playing XI when Ronald Koeman (current Barcelona coach) was in charge of the national team, and if the deal is successful the Dutch striker will join Frenkie de Jong. "Barcelona hope to confirm officially the transfer and introduce Depay to Camp Nou later in the week," said De Telegraaf. (Inputs from AFP)

Lazio sign Kosovo striker Vedat Muriqi

Defending Champions Juventus will begin their 2020/21 Serie A campaign hoping for a 10th consecutive league win on the weekend of September 19-20, according to the calendar unveiled on Wednesday.

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They will be hosting Sampdoria.&nbsp;

Juventus will be the only Italian club involved in the Champions League to play in the opening round of fixtures.

League runners-up Inter Milan travel to promoted Benevento while Atalanta, who finished third, is away at fourth-placed Lazio, those two matches a week later because of their European involvement.

The opening weekend will also witness Zlatan Ibrahimovic's AC Milan hosting Bologna and Napoli making the trip to Palermo. Roma will play an away game Hellas Verona.&nbsp;

Heavyweights Juventus and Inter Milan will face each other in 2021. The teams will play each other on January 17 in Milan and May 16 in Turin.&nbsp;

Defending Champions Juventus will begin their 2020/21 Serie A campaign hoping for a 10th consecutive league win on the weekend of September 19-20, according to the calendar unveiled on Wednesday.

Defending Champions Juventus will begin their 2020/21 Serie A campaign hoping for a 10th consecutive league win on the weekend of September 19-20, according to the calendar unveiled on Wednesday. Also read: From El Clasicos to Madrid Derbies: La Liga schedule announced! They will be hosting Sampdoria. Juventus will be the only Italian club involved in the Champions League to play in the opening round of fixtures. League runners-up Inter Milan travel to promoted Benevento while Atalanta, who finished third, is away at fourth-placed Lazio, those two matches a week later because of their European involvement. The opening weekend will also witness Zlatan Ibrahimovic's AC Milan hosting Bologna and Napoli making the trip to Palermo. Roma will play an away game Hellas Verona. Heavyweights Juventus and Inter Milan will face each other in 2021. The teams will play each other on January 17 in Milan and May 16 in Turin.

Defending champs Juventus to begin Serie A season against Sampdoria

Juventus crashed to a humiliating 2-0 defeat at Cagliari on Wednesday, days after sealing their ninth consecutive Serie A title, prompting coach Maurizio Sarri to consider fielding his Under-23 team in Saturday's finale to conserve resources ahead of their Champions League challenge.

Cagliari's 20-year-old forward Luca Gagliano tapped in the opener eight minutes into his first Serie A match, beating veteran Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon to score his first top division goal.

And the young Italian then teed up Giovanni Simeone in first half stoppage time to give Cagliari their first win over Juventus in 11 years.

"The 40 goals conceded (this season) may be a concern, but tonight's game is not," said Sarri.&nbsp;

"We had nine injured and we came from a championship won 68 hours ago, so it was an atypical game that should be taken for what it is.&nbsp;

"We are the only ones in Europe who have played five games in 12 days, the League has created big problems for us.&nbsp;

"Let's see how we are tomorrow and if it is appropriate to line up the Under-23 team on Saturday against Roma to recover better."

Cristiano Ronaldo missed the chance to keep pace with Serie A's leading scorer Ciro Immobile, the Portuguese now four goals behind the Lazio forward's tally of 35 with one match remaining.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had a goal ruled offside after 16 minutes and was denied twice by Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno as the 13th-placed Sardinians ended their eight-match winless run.

It was a worrying performance for Sarri's side, who have won just two of their last seven games, with key forwards Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa fighting for fitness ahead of the Champions League showdown with Lyon on August 7 in Turin, when they need to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit.

<h2>- Immobile on target -</h2>

&nbsp;

In Rome, Immobile moved to within one goal of equalling the Serie A single season scoring record as Lazio beat relegated Brescia 2-0 to stay in the race for second place.

Immobile struck eight minutes from time to close in on Gonzalo Higuain's record of 36 goals, scored for Napoli in 2015-16.

Lazio are fourth, equal on 78 points with third-placed Atalanta, who beat Parma 2-1 on Tuesday, and one adrift of Inter Milan who are second following their 2-0 win over Napoli.

Inter and Atalanta will go head-to-head this weekend with Lazio's last game at seventh-placed Napoli.

Immobile helped Joaquin Correa open the scoring after 16 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico, with Correa returning the favour late on.

Behind the top four, who are assured of Champions League football next season, Roma sealed their Europa League group stage berth with a 3-2 win at Torino.

Napoli have already secured their place as a result of their Italian Cup win while AC Milan, who will finish sixth, must go through the Europa League qualifying rounds despite beating Sampdoria 4-1.

<h2>- Zlatan AKA 'Benjamin Button' -</h2>

&nbsp;

Stefano Pioli's side remain four points behind Roma after Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice and set up a third in a dominating display against Samp.

The 38-year-old got his head to an Ante Rebic cross within four minutes in Genoa for his fastest goal in the Italian top flight, before nodding the ball across for Hakan Calhanoglu to add the second six minutes after the break.&nbsp;

Turkish winger Calhanoglu provided the cross which allowed Ibrahimovic to add his second of the night.&nbsp;

Leao added a fourth in injury time as Milan extended their unbeaten run to 11 games.

Ibrahimovic has scored nine league goals since rejoining Milan in January.

The veteran brings his club tally to 51 goals for the club, combined with his previous stint between 2010 and 2012.

He also becomes the first player to have scored 50 goals for both Milan clubs, with 57 netted during his time at city rivals Inter from 2006 to 2009.

"Like Benjamin Button, I've always been young, never old," said Ibrahimovic of the film of a man who ages in reverse.

"They tell me I'm old and tired but I'm just warming up."

Lecce's bid for survival will go down to the final day after they came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1.&nbsp;

The southern club occupy the final relegation position but are now just one point behind 17th-placed Genoa, who were hammered 5-0 at Sassuolo.

Both Lecce and Genoa will face Parma and Hellas Verona respectively at the weekend hoping to avoid joining Brescia and SPAL in Serie B.

Juventus crashed to a humiliating 2-0 defeat at Cagliari on Wednesday, days after sealing their ninth consecutive Serie A title, prompting coach Maurizio Sarri to consider fielding his Under-23 team in Saturday's finale to conserve resources ahead of their Champions League challenge.

Juventus crashed to a humiliating 2-0 defeat at Cagliari on Wednesday, days after sealing their ninth consecutive Serie A title, prompting coach Maurizio Sarri to consider fielding his Under-23 team in Saturday's finale to conserve resources ahead of their Champions League challenge. Cagliari's 20-year-old forward Luca Gagliano tapped in the opener eight minutes into his first Serie A match, beating veteran Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon to score his first top division goal. And the young Italian then teed up Giovanni Simeone in first half stoppage time to give Cagliari their first win over Juventus in 11 years. "The 40 goals conceded (this season) may be a concern, but tonight's game is not," said Sarri. "We had nine injured and we came from a championship won 68 hours ago, so it was an atypical game that should be taken for what it is. "We are the only ones in Europe who have played five games in 12 days, the League has created big problems for us. "Let's see how we are tomorrow and if it is appropriate to line up the Under-23 team on Saturday against Roma to recover better." Cristiano Ronaldo missed the chance to keep pace with Serie A's leading scorer Ciro Immobile, the Portuguese now four goals behind the Lazio forward's tally of 35 with one match remaining. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had a goal ruled offside after 16 minutes and was denied twice by Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno as the 13th-placed Sardinians ended their eight-match winless run. It was a worrying performance for Sarri's side, who have won just two of their last seven games, with key forwards Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa fighting for fitness ahead of the Champions League showdown with Lyon on August 7 in Turin, when they need to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit. - Immobile on target - In Rome, Immobile moved to within one goal of equalling the Serie A single season scoring record as Lazio beat relegated Brescia 2-0 to stay in the race for second place. Immobile struck eight minutes from time to close in on Gonzalo Higuain's record of 36 goals, scored for Napoli in 2015-16. Lazio are fourth, equal on 78 points with third-placed Atalanta, who beat Parma 2-1 on Tuesday, and one adrift of Inter Milan who are second following their 2-0 win over Napoli. Inter and Atalanta will go head-to-head this weekend with Lazio's last game at seventh-placed Napoli. Immobile helped Joaquin Correa open the scoring after 16 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico, with Correa returning the favour late on. Behind the top four, who are assured of Champions League football next season, Roma sealed their Europa League group stage berth with a 3-2 win at Torino. Napoli have already secured their place as a result of their Italian Cup win while AC Milan, who will finish sixth, must go through the Europa League qualifying rounds despite beating Sampdoria 4-1. - Zlatan AKA 'Benjamin Button' - Stefano Pioli's side remain four points behind Roma after Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice and set up a third in a dominating display against Samp. The 38-year-old got his head to an Ante Rebic cross within four minutes in Genoa for his fastest goal in the Italian top flight, before nodding the ball across for Hakan Calhanoglu to add the second six minutes after the break. Turkish winger Calhanoglu provided the cross which allowed Ibrahimovic to add his second of the night. Leao added a fourth in injury time as Milan extended their unbeaten run to 11 games. Ibrahimovic has scored nine league goals since rejoining Milan in January. The veteran brings his club tally to 51 goals for the club, combined with his previous stint between 2010 and 2012. He also becomes the first player to have scored 50 goals for both Milan clubs, with 57 netted during his time at city rivals Inter from 2006 to 2009. "Like Benjamin Button, I've always been young, never old," said Ibrahimovic of the film of a man who ages in reverse. "They tell me I'm old and tired but I'm just warming up." Lecce's bid for survival will go down to the final day after they came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1. The southern club occupy the final relegation position but are now just one point behind 17th-placed Genoa, who were hammered 5-0 at Sassuolo. Both Lecce and Genoa will face Parma and Hellas Verona respectively at the weekend hoping to avoid joining Brescia and SPAL in Serie B.

Sarri tempted to field Under-23 team as Juve crash to humiliating defeat

Juventus won&nbsp;Serie&nbsp;A for the ninth season in a row when Cristiano Ronaldo set them on the way to a 2-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday although the Portuguese veteran missed a late penalty.

The 35-year-old broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time with his 31st league goal of the season and Federico Bernardeschi added the second as Juve moved seven points clear of Inter Milan.

Juve, in their first season under coach Maurizio Sarri, clinched the title with two games to spare despite a stuttering run in which they won only one out of five matches before Sunday.

Sarri, who claimed the first major Italian title of his career, blamed their problems on the unique situation caused by the three-month coronavirus stoppage which led to the championship race finishing in a hectic six weeks played at the height of summer.

Juventus have 83 points while Inter, whose coach Antonio Conte led the Turin side to the first three titles of their present run, are on 76 and Atalanta and Lazio have 75 each.

Samp, who have climbed away from the relegation zone in the last few rounds and are 15th, had Morten Thorsby sent off for second bookable offence in the 76th minute.

Juventus lost two players to injury in the first half as defender Danilo had to go of after colliding with Gaston Ramriez and Paulo Dybala suffered a muscular injury to his left leg.

Fabio Quagliarella had Samp's best first-half chance when the ball was pulled back to him but his left-foot shot was weak and easily stopped by Wojciech Szczesny.

Juve went ahead from a free kick when Miralem Pjanic rolled the ball to Ronaldo and the Portuguese swept the ball home.

Sampdoria had a flurry of chances early in the second half.

Mehdi Leris sidefooted wide, Szczesny had to turn a looping Ramirez free kick around his post and Lorenzo Tonelli sent a powerful header narrowly wide from the resulting corner.

After those let-offs, Juve doubled their lead in 67th minute. Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero could not hold Ronaldo's shot and Bernardeschi, who had replaced Danilo, snapped up the rebound.

Ronaldo's evening ended on a sour note when he smashed a penalty against the crossbar after Alex Sandro was fouled.

Juventus won Serie A for the ninth season in a row when Cristiano Ronaldo set them on the way to a 2-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday although the Portuguese veteran missed a late penalty.

Juventus won Serie A for the ninth season in a row when Cristiano Ronaldo set them on the way to a 2-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday although the Portuguese veteran missed a late penalty. The 35-year-old broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time with his 31st league goal of the season and Federico Bernardeschi added the second as Juve moved seven points clear of Inter Milan. Juve, in their first season under coach Maurizio Sarri, clinched the title with two games to spare despite a stuttering run in which they won only one out of five matches before Sunday. Sarri, who claimed the first major Italian title of his career, blamed their problems on the unique situation caused by the three-month coronavirus stoppage which led to the championship race finishing in a hectic six weeks played at the height of summer. Juventus have 83 points while Inter, whose coach Antonio Conte led the Turin side to the first three titles of their present run, are on 76 and Atalanta and Lazio have 75 each. Samp, who have climbed away from the relegation zone in the last few rounds and are 15th, had Morten Thorsby sent off for second bookable offence in the 76th minute. Juventus lost two players to injury in the first half as defender Danilo had to go of after colliding with Gaston Ramriez and Paulo Dybala suffered a muscular injury to his left leg. Fabio Quagliarella had Samp's best first-half chance when the ball was pulled back to him but his left-foot shot was weak and easily stopped by Wojciech Szczesny. Juve went ahead from a free kick when Miralem Pjanic rolled the ball to Ronaldo and the Portuguese swept the ball home. Sampdoria had a flurry of chances early in the second half. Mehdi Leris sidefooted wide, Szczesny had to turn a looping Ramirez free kick around his post and Lorenzo Tonelli sent a powerful header narrowly wide from the resulting corner. After those let-offs, Juve doubled their lead in 67th minute. Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero could not hold Ronaldo's shot and Bernardeschi, who had replaced Danilo, snapped up the rebound. Ronaldo's evening ended on a sour note when he smashed a penalty against the crossbar after Alex Sandro was fouled.

Juventus wins ninth straight Serie A title after beating Sampdoria

Maurizio Sarri slammed a "messy" performance as Juventus fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at struggling Udinese on Thursday to miss the chance to seal the Serie A title for the ninth time in a row.

Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt had put the defending champions ahead&nbsp;three minutes before the break in Udine.

But a diving Ilija Nestorovski header seven minutes after the interval got Udinese level with Seko Fofana scoring the winner in injury time.

Juventus remain six points ahead of second-placed Atalanta with three games left to play, and have another chance to seal the title for the 36th time on the pitch at home against 14th-placed Sampdoria on Sunday.

Maurizio Sarri's side need just three more points and the coronation could come on Saturday, depending on the results of their rivals Atalanta, Inter Milan and Lazio. &nbsp;

But Juventus's performance against the minnows from the north-east was worrying ahead of their crunch Champions League last 16 game against Lyon on August 7.&nbsp;

"We paid for a lack of order after a good first half," said Sarri.

"We wanted to win at all costs, we were messy and we took the game on a dangerous track and lost it on 93 minutes because we wanted the three points.

"At this stage of the season it is difficult, we are all tired.&nbsp;We have lost aggression."

The game started with a clumsy header from Danilo, which almost resulted in an own goal before bouncing off Wojciech Szczesny's post.&nbsp;

Udinese keeper Juan Musso denied Paulo Dybala -- who was wearing the Juventus captain's armband -- after 13 minutes with Ronaldo's long-range effort wide before De Ligt broke through, smashing in after 42 minutes.

Back after the break, Nestorovski took advantage of an Alex Sandro error to equalise, getting his head to a cross from on-loan Watford midfielder Ken Sema to beat Szczesny.

And two minutes into extra time, Ivorian international Fofana capped a solid match by getting the better of De Ligt to all but ensure Udinese of staying in Serie A with his third goal this season.

It was a precious three points for Udinese who move up to 15th position, seven points clear of the relegation zone.

"Juventus wanted to win the championship, but we had a great game," said Fofana.

"We said beforehand that (relegation rivals) Lecce were going strong and we had to push forward."

Lazio, 11 points behind Juventus in fourth, play at Cagliari later on Thursday.

Maurizio Sarri slammed a "messy" performance as Juventus fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at struggling Udinese on Thursday to miss the chance to seal the Serie A title for the ninth time in a row.

Maurizio Sarri slammed a "messy" performance as Juventus fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at struggling Udinese on Thursday to miss the chance to seal the Serie A title for the ninth time in a row. Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt had put the defending champions ahead three minutes before the break in Udine. But a diving Ilija Nestorovski header seven minutes after the interval got Udinese level with Seko Fofana scoring the winner in injury time. Juventus remain six points ahead of second-placed Atalanta with three games left to play, and have another chance to seal the title for the 36th time on the pitch at home against 14th-placed Sampdoria on Sunday. Maurizio Sarri's side need just three more points and the coronation could come on Saturday, depending on the results of their rivals Atalanta, Inter Milan and Lazio. But Juventus's performance against the minnows from the north-east was worrying ahead of their crunch Champions League last 16 game against Lyon on August 7. "We paid for a lack of order after a good first half," said Sarri. "We wanted to win at all costs, we were messy and we took the game on a dangerous track and lost it on 93 minutes because we wanted the three points. "At this stage of the season it is difficult, we are all tired. We have lost aggression." The game started with a clumsy header from Danilo, which almost resulted in an own goal before bouncing off Wojciech Szczesny's post. Udinese keeper Juan Musso denied Paulo Dybala -- who was wearing the Juventus captain's armband -- after 13 minutes with Ronaldo's long-range effort wide before De Ligt broke through, smashing in after 42 minutes. Back after the break, Nestorovski took advantage of an Alex Sandro error to equalise, getting his head to a cross from on-loan Watford midfielder Ken Sema to beat Szczesny. And two minutes into extra time, Ivorian international Fofana capped a solid match by getting the better of De Ligt to all but ensure Udinese of staying in Serie A with his third goal this season. It was a precious three points for Udinese who move up to 15th position, seven points clear of the relegation zone. "Juventus wanted to win the championship, but we had a great game," said Fofana. "We said beforehand that (relegation rivals) Lecce were going strong and we had to push forward." Lazio, 11 points behind Juventus in fourth, play at Cagliari later on Thursday.

Juve miss chance to seal title after Udinese defeat

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first-ever player to score 50 goals in Serie A, La Liga and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League</a> after the Portuguese stalwart put Juventus on the brink of ninth successive Italian league title on Monday after scoring a second-half brace in a 2-1 win over Lazio.&nbsp;

While the win puts Juventus eight points clear of second-placed Inter Milan with four games remaining, Ronaldo continues to cement his legacy as arguably the greatest player of all time. Ronaldo’s brace also helped Juventus end a three-match winless run.&nbsp;

The Maurizio Sarri-coached side could go on to win the title on Thursday against Udinese or on Sunday against Sampdoria, depending on how their rivals perform this week. The Juve manager was of high praise for Ronaldo as he lauded his physical condition and ability to recover quickly between games while adding he is a champions with his feet and head.&nbsp;

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"We are missing four points, only after we have achieved them will we then be able to think about the goal achieved," said Sarri.

"All the games are difficult now, and in the space of six days, we play three games. So, we must stay focused and think about securing the missing points."

Sarri added: "Cristiano is an impressive player because he has the extraordinary ability to complete a quick recovery between games.

"Not only physically, but, above all, mentally: he is a champion with his feet, but also with his head."

Ronaldo netted a penalty just after the half-time break before tapping in a cross by Paulo Dybala.

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The former Real Madrid megastar has scored 30 goals in 2019-20 season, equal with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile. His second goal was his 50th in Serie A after passing the landmark in England in Spain.&nbsp;The five-time Ballon d'Or winner missed the chance of a hat-trick when his header hit the crossbar after 66 minutes.

The 35-year-old is now looking to become the first player to finish top scorer in three of the top five European leagues after doing so England and Spain.

"Records are always important, but the team victory is more important," said Ronaldo.

"I'm helping the team to win. It's important to win the title. There are four games left and we know that Serie A is a difficult championship."

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first-ever player to score 50 goals in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League after the Portuguese stalwart put Juventus on the brink of ninth successive Italian league title on Monday after scoring a second-half brace in a 2-1 win over Lazio.

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first-ever player to score 50 goals in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League after the Portuguese stalwart put Juventus on the brink of ninth successive Italian league title on Monday after scoring a second-half brace in a 2-1 win over Lazio. While the win puts Juventus eight points clear of second-placed Inter Milan with four games remaining, Ronaldo continues to cement his legacy as arguably the greatest player of all time. Ronaldo’s brace also helped Juventus end a three-match winless run. The Maurizio Sarri-coached side could go on to win the title on Thursday against Udinese or on Sunday against Sampdoria, depending on how their rivals perform this week. The Juve manager was of high praise for Ronaldo as he lauded his physical condition and ability to recover quickly between games while adding he is a champions with his feet and head. ALSO READ: Wolves bolster Europa League bid, Blades blunted by Everton "We are missing four points, only after we have achieved them will we then be able to think about the goal achieved," said Sarri. "All the games are difficult now, and in the space of six days, we play three games. So, we must stay focused and think about securing the missing points." Sarri added: "Cristiano is an impressive player because he has the extraordinary ability to complete a quick recovery between games. "Not only physically, but, above all, mentally: he is a champion with his feet, but also with his head." Ronaldo netted a penalty just after the half-time break before tapping in a cross by Paulo Dybala. ALSO READ: Guardiola takes swipe at Arsenal over 'respect' The former Real Madrid megastar has scored 30 goals in 2019-20 season, equal with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile. His second goal was his 50th in Serie A after passing the landmark in England in Spain. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner missed the chance of a hat-trick when his header hit the crossbar after 66 minutes. The 35-year-old is now looking to become the first player to finish top scorer in three of the top five European leagues after doing so England and Spain. "Records are always important, but the team victory is more important," said Ronaldo. "I'm helping the team to win. It's important to win the title. There are four games left and we know that Serie A is a difficult championship."

Cristiano Ronaldo sets new record by scoring 50th Serie A goal

Atlanta has dropped points for the second time since the season's restart after drawing 1-1 against Hellas Verona on Saturday. The last time they lost points was against Juventus last weekend when they drew 2-2.&nbsp;

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Atlanta is currently tied on 71 points with second-placed Inter Milan, who play away at AS Roma on Sunday, and six points behind Juventus who also have a game in hand.

Duvan Zapata opened the score for Atlanta on the 50th minute.&nbsp;

But the visitors lost the lead within nine minutes after Matteo Pessina's strike equalled the score for Verona. Pessina was loaned by Atlanta to Verona. He made a late run into the box to pounce on Pierluigi Gollini's parry and fire home emphatically his fourth goal since the restart and seventh of the season.

Atalanta, who would have wrapped up Champions League qualification with victory, nearly took all three points in stoppage time when Mario Pasalic's effort from a cross went inches wide of the post.

Atlanta has dropped points for the second time since the season's restart after drawing 1-1 against Hellas Verona on Saturday. The last time they lost points was against Juventus last weekend when they drew 2-2.

Atlanta has dropped points for the second time since the season's restart after drawing 1-1 against Hellas Verona on Saturday. The last time they lost points was against Juventus last weekend when they drew 2-2. Also read: AC Milan coach brushes off Zlatan Ibrahimovic's angry reaction to substitution Atlanta is currently tied on 71 points with second-placed Inter Milan, who play away at AS Roma on Sunday, and six points behind Juventus who also have a game in hand. Duvan Zapata opened the score for Atlanta on the 50th minute. But the visitors lost the lead within nine minutes after Matteo Pessina's strike equalled the score for Verona. Pessina was loaned by Atlanta to Verona. He made a late run into the box to pounce on Pierluigi Gollini's parry and fire home emphatically his fourth goal since the restart and seventh of the season. Atalanta, who would have wrapped up Champions League qualification with victory, nearly took all three points in stoppage time when Mario Pasalic's effort from a cross went inches wide of the post.

Serie A: Second-placed Atalanta held to 1-1 draw at Verona

Juventus wasted the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A as the defending champions blew a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired AC Milan on Tuesday, after second-placed Lazio's shock defeat at Lecce.

Maurizio Sarri's men led through goals from Adrien Rabiot and Cristiano Ronaldo early in the second half, but were then blown away by a brilliant Milan display as Ibrahimovic scored and had an assist.

Milan coach Stefano Pioli, who could reportedly be sacked at the end of the season, saw his side boost their hopes of European qualification by moving above Roma and Napoli into fifth.

"I am not remotely thinking about August 3 or the future. I am thinking of the next game," Pioli told DAZN. "There have been some tough moments, but I love what I do."

Juve remain on track for a ninth straight title, sitting seven points clear of Lazio with seven matches remaining, but could have rendered the race all but over with a victory.

The loss snapped the Turin giants' seven-game winning run in the league.

Juventus dominated the first half without finding a breakthrough as the closest they came was when Leonardo Bonucci glanced Miralem Pjanic's free-kick wide when unmarked only three yards from goal.

Ibrahimovic had a couple of speculative efforts easily held by Wojciech Szczesny at the other end and also saw a goal ruled out for offside.

The reigning champions burst into life after the interval though, as French international Adrien Rabiot drove forward and fired a fine left-footed shot from the edge of the area into the top corner to score his first Serie A goal.

Ronaldo doubled the advantage less than eight minutes into the second half, netting for the fifth consecutive game and for the 26th time in Serie A this term with a cool finish.

But Milan were handed a lifeline out of nowhere on the hour mark as Bonucci was penalised for handball, and Ibrahimovic stepped up to score his sixth goal since returning to the San Siro from LA Galaxy in January.

The 38-year-old made it back-to-back games with a goal and an assist in the 66th minute, teeing up Franck Kessie to score with a deflected strike.

Incredibly, Milan completed the turnaround with their third goal in five minutes as Rafael Leao beat Szczesny at his near post.

Ante Rebic had an excellent chance to make it 4-2 with 12 minutes remaining, but Szczesny did well to save with his boot,&nbsp;

The Croatian international wrapped up the points two minutes later though with his 10th league goal of the season.

<h2>- Lazio stumble again -</h2>

Earlier, Lazio, who lost 3-0 to Milan at the weekend, slumped to a second straight loss, beaten 2-1 at relegation-threatened Lecce.

Defender Patric added to Lazio's problems in injury time as he was dismissed for biting Lecce's Giulio Donati and could face a lengthy ban, especially with the strict COVID-19 regulations in place.

"Our dream must continue, which is to qualify mathematically for the Champions League," Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia.

"We hope to achieve it as soon as possible, but that is our only objective."

Lecce ended a six-match losing streak in dramatic fashion to climb out of the relegation zone.

Lazio were without strikers Ciro Immobile and Felipe Caicedo through suspension against Milan, but both played a part as the latter gave the visitors a fifth minute lead, shortly after Lecce midfielder Marco Mancosu's strike was ruled out by VAR for a handball in the build-up.

But the hosts grabbed a deserved equaliser on the half-hour mark when Senegalese forward Khouma Babacar nodded home Filippo Falco's cross.

Lazio survived a massive scare on the stroke of half-time as Lecce were awarded a penalty for a controversial handball against Patric, but Mancosu spooned his spot-kick over the crossbar.

Lecce centre-back Fabio Lucioni headed in a corner to give the home team a shock lead early in the second half.

Patric's moment of madness came in the third minute of added time when he bit Donati on the arm.

Juventus wasted the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A as the defending champions blew a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired AC Milan on Tuesday, after second-placed Lazio's shock defeat at Lecce.

Juventus wasted the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A as the defending champions blew a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired AC Milan on Tuesday, after second-placed Lazio's shock defeat at Lecce. Maurizio Sarri's men led through goals from Adrien Rabiot and Cristiano Ronaldo early in the second half, but were then blown away by a brilliant Milan display as Ibrahimovic scored and had an assist. Milan coach Stefano Pioli, who could reportedly be sacked at the end of the season, saw his side boost their hopes of European qualification by moving above Roma and Napoli into fifth. "I am not remotely thinking about August 3 or the future. I am thinking of the next game," Pioli told DAZN. "There have been some tough moments, but I love what I do." Juve remain on track for a ninth straight title, sitting seven points clear of Lazio with seven matches remaining, but could have rendered the race all but over with a victory. The loss snapped the Turin giants' seven-game winning run in the league. Juventus dominated the first half without finding a breakthrough as the closest they came was when Leonardo Bonucci glanced Miralem Pjanic's free-kick wide when unmarked only three yards from goal. Ibrahimovic had a couple of speculative efforts easily held by Wojciech Szczesny at the other end and also saw a goal ruled out for offside. The reigning champions burst into life after the interval though, as French international Adrien Rabiot drove forward and fired a fine left-footed shot from the edge of the area into the top corner to score his first Serie A goal. Ronaldo doubled the advantage less than eight minutes into the second half, netting for the fifth consecutive game and for the 26th time in Serie A this term with a cool finish. But Milan were handed a lifeline out of nowhere on the hour mark as Bonucci was penalised for handball, and Ibrahimovic stepped up to score his sixth goal since returning to the San Siro from LA Galaxy in January. The 38-year-old made it back-to-back games with a goal and an assist in the 66th minute, teeing up Franck Kessie to score with a deflected strike. Incredibly, Milan completed the turnaround with their third goal in five minutes as Rafael Leao beat Szczesny at his near post. Ante Rebic had an excellent chance to make it 4-2 with 12 minutes remaining, but Szczesny did well to save with his boot, The Croatian international wrapped up the points two minutes later though with his 10th league goal of the season. - Lazio stumble again - Earlier, Lazio, who lost 3-0 to Milan at the weekend, slumped to a second straight loss, beaten 2-1 at relegation-threatened Lecce. Defender Patric added to Lazio's problems in injury time as he was dismissed for biting Lecce's Giulio Donati and could face a lengthy ban, especially with the strict COVID-19 regulations in place. "Our dream must continue, which is to qualify mathematically for the Champions League," Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia. "We hope to achieve it as soon as possible, but that is our only objective." Lecce ended a six-match losing streak in dramatic fashion to climb out of the relegation zone. Lazio were without strikers Ciro Immobile and Felipe Caicedo through suspension against Milan, but both played a part as the latter gave the visitors a fifth minute lead, shortly after Lecce midfielder Marco Mancosu's strike was ruled out by VAR for a handball in the build-up. But the hosts grabbed a deserved equaliser on the half-hour mark when Senegalese forward Khouma Babacar nodded home Filippo Falco's cross. Lazio survived a massive scare on the stroke of half-time as Lecce were awarded a penalty for a controversial handball against Patric, but Mancosu spooned his spot-kick over the crossbar. Lecce centre-back Fabio Lucioni headed in a corner to give the home team a shock lead early in the second half. Patric's moment of madness came in the third minute of added time when he bit Donati on the arm.

Zlatan fires Milan comeback as Juve miss chance to stretch lead

Lazio defender Patric has been handed a four-match ban for biting Lecce's Giulio Donati during a match in Serie A on Tuesday. Lazio was beaten by Lecce 2-1.&nbsp;

Patric bit Donati's arm reminding everyone of Suarez's time when he used to bite his opponent during crucial matches.&nbsp;

The incident was spotted by the VAR and the Spaniard was quickly shown a red card. Patric left the ground with no protest. The 27-year-old has been fined 10,000 euros.&nbsp;

Donit said that Patric apologised soon after the match ended and the bite did not harm him.&nbsp;

"He did nothing to me and apologised straight after, so bear that in mind," he told ANSA after the game.

"I also live with emotions so I understand Patric why, in such a hard-fought game, did what he did.

"Patric apologised straight after. His gesture was rightfully punished with a red, but it didn't do me any harm.

"Therefore, I'd ask people to think long and hard before judging him."

With Lazio's defeat, the gap between them and Juventus has increased to 10 points.&nbsp;

Lazio defender Patric has been handed a four-match ban for biting Lecce's Giulio Donati during a match in Serie A on Tuesday. Lazio was beaten by Lecce 2-1. Patric bit Donati's arm reminding everyone of Suarez's time when he used to bite his opponent during crucial matches.

Lazio defender Patric has been handed a four-match ban for biting Lecce's Giulio Donati during a match in Serie A on Tuesday. Lazio was beaten by Lecce 2-1. Patric bit Donati's arm reminding everyone of Suarez's time when he used to bite his opponent during crucial matches. The incident was spotted by the VAR and the Spaniard was quickly shown a red card. Patric left the ground with no protest. The 27-year-old has been fined 10,000 euros. Donit said that Patric apologised soon after the match ended and the bite did not harm him. "He did nothing to me and apologised straight after, so bear that in mind," he told ANSA after the game. "I also live with emotions so I understand Patric why, in such a hard-fought game, did what he did. "Patric apologised straight after. His gesture was rightfully punished with a red, but it didn't do me any harm. "Therefore, I'd ask people to think long and hard before judging him." With Lazio's defeat, the gap between them and Juventus has increased to 10 points.

Serie A: Lazio's Patric given four-match ban for biting Lecce's Donati

French football star Franck Ribery is concerned about his future in Serie A after his house was burgled in Florence.&nbsp;

Fiorentina's Ribery took to Twitter and shared a clip of his house burgled after his club's win at Parma on Sunday.

"I went back home, this 'home' in Italy where I decided to continue my career after so many great years at (Bayern) Munich, and this is what I found," wrote the 37-year-old.

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He reported that his wife's jewellery and handbags were missing and told about the main damage was "the shock, the feeling of being naked, of having your trousers taken down, and that's not on, I won't accept it!"

Former Bundesliga star joined Fiorentina last year, however, now he doubts the longevity of his stay in Italy.&nbsp;

"Thank god my wife and kids were safe in Munich but how can you be sure these days? How can I/we feel good here after today?

"I'm not chasing millions...but instead always chasing the ball because it's my passion.

"But passion or not my family is more important than anything, and we will take the necessary decisions based on our well-being."

French football star Franck Ribery is concerned about his future in Serie A after his house was burgled in Florence. Fiorentina's Ribery took to Twitter and shared a clip of his house burgled after his club's win at Parma on Sunday.

French football star Franck Ribery is concerned about his future in Serie A after his house was burgled in Florence. Fiorentina's Ribery took to Twitter and shared a clip of his house burgled after his club's win at Parma on Sunday. "I went back home, this 'home' in Italy where I decided to continue my career after so many great years at (Bayern) Munich, and this is what I found," wrote the 37-year-old. 🤦🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/29slQ0P7DM — Franck Ribéry (@FranckRibery) July 6, 2020 × He reported that his wife's jewellery and handbags were missing and told about the main damage was "the shock, the feeling of being naked, of having your trousers taken down, and that's not on, I won't accept it!" Former Bundesliga star joined Fiorentina last year, however, now he doubts the longevity of his stay in Italy. "Thank god my wife and kids were safe in Munich but how can you be sure these days? How can I/we feel good here after today? "I'm not chasing millions...but instead always chasing the ball because it's my passion. "But passion or not my family is more important than anything, and we will take the necessary decisions based on our well-being."

Fiorentina's Franck Ribery doubts his future in Serie A after his house was burgled in Italy

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally scored a free-kick for his Juventus side and played a role in beating Torino 4-1 in the Derby Della Mole on Saturday.

This was Ronaldo's first goal through a free-kick for Juventus, he had attempted 43 times but could not find the back of the net. Another milestone was achieved by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who made a record 648th Serie A appearance. The 42-year-old goalkeeper overtook Paolo Maldini (previous record-holder) when he was picked for his first league game this year.&nbsp;

Torino have failed to beat Juventus in the past 12 attempts. Juventus top the Serie A table with 75 points, whereas, Torino struggle on 15th position with just 31 points.&nbsp;

"We took the lead right away and then scored again. Maybe we thought it was going to be easy but the penalty got us nervous and made us lose control of the game," said Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri.

"We had a confusing phase at the start of the second half and then, when the two teams were tired, our quality came out."

After scoring a free-kick, Ronaldo was relieved by it.

"I needed to score from a free-kick to get my confidence back," he said.

Paulo Dybala opened the score for the team by scoring his trademark goal.&nbsp;

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally scored a free-kick for his Juventus side and played a role in beating Torino 4-1 in the Derby Della Mole on Saturday. This was Ronaldo's first goal through a free-kick for Juventus, he had attempted 43 times but could not find the back of the net.

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally scored a free-kick for his Juventus side and played a role in beating Torino 4-1 in the Derby Della Mole on Saturday. This was Ronaldo's first goal through a free-kick for Juventus, he had attempted 43 times but could not find the back of the net. Another milestone was achieved by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who made a record 648th Serie A appearance. The 42-year-old goalkeeper overtook Paolo Maldini (previous record-holder) when he was picked for his first league game this year. Torino have failed to beat Juventus in the past 12 attempts. Juventus top the Serie A table with 75 points, whereas, Torino struggle on 15th position with just 31 points. "We took the lead right away and then scored again. Maybe we thought it was going to be easy but the penalty got us nervous and made us lose control of the game," said Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri. "We had a confusing phase at the start of the second half and then, when the two teams were tired, our quality came out." After scoring a free-kick, Ronaldo was relieved by it. "I needed to score from a free-kick to get my confidence back," he said. Paulo Dybala opened the score for the team by scoring his trademark goal.

Serie A: Ronaldo and Dybala star as Juventus beat Torina 4-1; Buffon hits another milestone

Juventus bounced back to winning ways in Serie A after Cristiano Ronald and Paulo Dybala found the back of the net in early minutes of the game against Bologna. Turin giants' 2-0 win over Bologna has put them four points clear of Lazio on top of the Serie A table.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nascar-community-comes-together-for-bubba-wallace-as-fbi-investigates-noose-307830">NASCAR community comes together for Bubba Wallace as FBI investigates noose</a>

Ronaldo has been on a poor run after missing a penalty against AC Milan in the Italian Cup and losing 4-2 on penalties against Napoli in the finals. But the five-time Ballon d'Or winner made no mistake in this match.&nbsp;

He converted a spot-kick earned by Matthijs de Ligt after 23 minutes for his 26th goal for Juventus in all competitions this season.

In the 36th minute of the game, Dybala scored after Federico Bernardeschi's back-heel flick as Juventus, chasing a ninth consecutive Scudetto, opened up a four-point lead on second-placed Lazio.

"We need confidence and this victory will help us," said Dybala.

"It's not easy to be brilliant right now, we hadn't been playing for a long time.

"If we had won the (Italian Cup) final everyone would have complimented us because on a tactical level we have had a great game, even if we were not brilliant, but we conceded little.

"Today we played a great game, even if after 2-0 we gave up a bit."

Second-placed Lazio travels north to fourth-placed Atalanta in Bergamo on Wednesday, looking to keep their bid for a first Serie A title in two decades on track.

Inter Milan, in third, are nine points away from Juventus, and will next play Sassuolo.

Juventus bounced back to winning ways in Serie A after Cristiano Ronald and Paulo Dybala found the back of the net in early minutes of the game against Bologna. Turin giants' 2-0 win over Bologna has put them four points clear of Lazio on top of the Serie A table.

Juventus bounced back to winning ways in Serie A after Cristiano Ronald and Paulo Dybala found the back of the net in early minutes of the game against Bologna. Turin giants' 2-0 win over Bologna has put them four points clear of Lazio on top of the Serie A table. Also read: NASCAR community comes together for Bubba Wallace as FBI investigates noose Ronaldo has been on a poor run after missing a penalty against AC Milan in the Italian Cup and losing 4-2 on penalties against Napoli in the finals. But the five-time Ballon d'Or winner made no mistake in this match. He converted a spot-kick earned by Matthijs de Ligt after 23 minutes for his 26th goal for Juventus in all competitions this season. In the 36th minute of the game, Dybala scored after Federico Bernardeschi's back-heel flick as Juventus, chasing a ninth consecutive Scudetto, opened up a four-point lead on second-placed Lazio. "We need confidence and this victory will help us," said Dybala. "It's not easy to be brilliant right now, we hadn't been playing for a long time. "If we had won the (Italian Cup) final everyone would have complimented us because on a tactical level we have had a great game, even if we were not brilliant, but we conceded little. "Today we played a great game, even if after 2-0 we gave up a bit." Second-placed Lazio travels north to fourth-placed Atalanta in Bergamo on Wednesday, looking to keep their bid for a first Serie A title in two decades on track. Inter Milan, in third, are nine points away from Juventus, and will next play Sassuolo.

Serie A: Ronaldo, Dybala star as Juventus win easy against Bologna

Juventus's Serie A supremacy faces a stiff test with the champions just one point ahead of Lazio as the Italian league kicks off again this weekend following a three-month shutdown.

A return had looked unthinkable back in April as Italy counted their daily coronavirus deaths in the hundreds for nearly 35,000 victims in the country.

But the situation has improved with strict health protocols in place and all matches being played behind closed doors.

Four postponed games will take place first this weekend involving teams at the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Atalanta host Sassuolo in Bergamo on Sunday, and Inter Milan are at home against Sampdoria.

On Saturday, Torino host Parma and Cagliari travel to Hellas Verona.

Next week all teams will have 12 games left to play with Juventus at Bologna on Monday, and Lazio travelling to Atalanta on Wednesday.

Maurizio Sarri's Juventus fell in the Italian Cup final to Napoli on penalties midweek, having also lost the Italian SuperCup to Lazio in December.

"Ronaldo, (Paulo) Dybala and our great soloists lack that little bit of brilliance, but I consider it quite normal in this period," said Sarri.&nbsp;

"I didn't say anything to the players, we were all very angry and disappointed and I think it's better to be silent right now."

Sarri's woes have been compounded with Brazilian defender Alex Sandro tearing a knee ligament against Napoli and Sami Khedira picking up a potentially serious tendon problem.

Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain and captain Giorgio Chiellini are also not yet at full fitness.

<h2>- Ronaldo effect -</h2>

Juventus will be counting on their top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo to react after suffering two defeats in a final for the first time in his career, and missing a penalty in the Italian Cup semi-final.

Lazio's Ciro Immobile has scored 27 goals this season, six more than Ronaldo, as the in-form Romans target their third Scudetto and first in two decades.

Simone Inzaghi's side have already beaten Juventus twice this season, in the Italian SuperCup final and 3-1 in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

The top two teams will meet in Turin on July 20.

Inter Milan are third, nine points behind Juventus. Inter lost to Lazio (2-1) and Juventus (2-0) just before the suspension.

"If I have to find a positive part of this crisis, it's that I've had time to focus and try to find different areas in which the team can improve," said coach Antonio Conte.

Atalanta occupy the final Champions League berth, three points ahead of Roma, with Napoli sixth a further six points back.

<h2>- Maths madness -</h2>

While the championship resumes the question remains of what happens in the case of another suspension.

Plan B provides for play-offs, the format of which remains to be defined.

A final decision could open the way to use a complicated algorithm devised by the federation to establish the final ranking.&nbsp;

Who would qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League? Who would go to Serie B?&nbsp;

Very simple: PF = PT + (MPc x NPc) + (MPt x NPt)!&nbsp;

This formula means that the total points will be calculated taking into account those obtained at the time of the interruption, plus a simulation based on the average points taken at home and away multiplied by the number of matches still to play.

Got it?

It was even considered at one point to take into account the number of goals scored home and away, for an even more intimidating formula: PF = PT + 0,90 x [(MPc x NPc ) + (MPt x NPt)] + 0,10 x (iag x Δr).

"This is madness. We are at the 'Normale' of Pisa," said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, referring to the prestigious Tuscan university, which has given Italy three Nobel Prize winners and two Presidents.&nbsp;

But one sticking point was cleared up Thursday with the Italian government agreeing to ease quarantine restrictions in the case of a positive test with only the infected person isolated.

The squad and staff will be closely monitored and a quick test performed on the whole team on match day, boosting hopes that the championship will be concluded.

Fixtures (all times GMT):

Saturday&nbsp;

Torino v Parma (1730), Verona v Cagliari (1945)

Sunday

Atalanta v Sassuolo (1730), Inter Milan v Sampdoria (1945)

Monday

Lecce v AC Milan (1730), Fiorentina v Brescia (1730), Bologna v Juventus (1945)

Tuesday

SPAL v Cagliari (1730), Verona v Napoli (1730), Torino v Udinese (1845), Genoa v Parma (1945)

&nbsp;

Wednesday

Inter Milan v Sassuolo (1730), Atalanta v Lazio (1945), Rome v Sampdoria (1945)

Juventus's Serie A supremacy faces a stiff test with the champions just one point ahead of Lazio as the Italian league kicks off again this weekend following a three-month shutdown.

Juventus's Serie A supremacy faces a stiff test with the champions just one point ahead of Lazio as the Italian league kicks off again this weekend following a three-month shutdown. A return had looked unthinkable back in April as Italy counted their daily coronavirus deaths in the hundreds for nearly 35,000 victims in the country. But the situation has improved with strict health protocols in place and all matches being played behind closed doors. Four postponed games will take place first this weekend involving teams at the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak. Atalanta host Sassuolo in Bergamo on Sunday, and Inter Milan are at home against Sampdoria. On Saturday, Torino host Parma and Cagliari travel to Hellas Verona. Next week all teams will have 12 games left to play with Juventus at Bologna on Monday, and Lazio travelling to Atalanta on Wednesday. Maurizio Sarri's Juventus fell in the Italian Cup final to Napoli on penalties midweek, having also lost the Italian SuperCup to Lazio in December. "Ronaldo, (Paulo) Dybala and our great soloists lack that little bit of brilliance, but I consider it quite normal in this period," said Sarri. "I didn't say anything to the players, we were all very angry and disappointed and I think it's better to be silent right now." Sarri's woes have been compounded with Brazilian defender Alex Sandro tearing a knee ligament against Napoli and Sami Khedira picking up a potentially serious tendon problem. Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain and captain Giorgio Chiellini are also not yet at full fitness. - Ronaldo effect - Juventus will be counting on their top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo to react after suffering two defeats in a final for the first time in his career, and missing a penalty in the Italian Cup semi-final. Lazio's Ciro Immobile has scored 27 goals this season, six more than Ronaldo, as the in-form Romans target their third Scudetto and first in two decades. Simone Inzaghi's side have already beaten Juventus twice this season, in the Italian SuperCup final and 3-1 in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The top two teams will meet in Turin on July 20. Inter Milan are third, nine points behind Juventus. Inter lost to Lazio (2-1) and Juventus (2-0) just before the suspension. "If I have to find a positive part of this crisis, it's that I've had time to focus and try to find different areas in which the team can improve," said coach Antonio Conte. Atalanta occupy the final Champions League berth, three points ahead of Roma, with Napoli sixth a further six points back. - Maths madness - While the championship resumes the question remains of what happens in the case of another suspension. Plan B provides for play-offs, the format of which remains to be defined. A final decision could open the way to use a complicated algorithm devised by the federation to establish the final ranking. Who would qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League? Who would go to Serie B? Very simple: PF = PT + (MPc x NPc) + (MPt x NPt)! This formula means that the total points will be calculated taking into account those obtained at the time of the interruption, plus a simulation based on the average points taken at home and away multiplied by the number of matches still to play. Got it? It was even considered at one point to take into account the number of goals scored home and away, for an even more intimidating formula: PF = PT + 0,90 x [(MPc x NPc ) + (MPt x NPt)] + 0,10 x (iag x Δr). "This is madness. We are at the 'Normale' of Pisa," said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, referring to the prestigious Tuscan university, which has given Italy three Nobel Prize winners and two Presidents. But one sticking point was cleared up Thursday with the Italian government agreeing to ease quarantine restrictions in the case of a positive test with only the infected person isolated. The squad and staff will be closely monitored and a quick test performed on the whole team on match day, boosting hopes that the championship will be concluded. Fixtures (all times GMT): Saturday Torino v Parma (1730), Verona v Cagliari (1945) Sunday Atalanta v Sassuolo (1730), Inter Milan v Sampdoria (1945) Monday Lecce v AC Milan (1730), Fiorentina v Brescia (1730), Bologna v Juventus (1945) Tuesday SPAL v Cagliari (1730), Verona v Napoli (1730), Torino v Udinese (1845), Genoa v Parma (1945) Wednesday Inter Milan v Sassuolo (1730), Atalanta v Lazio (1945), Rome v Sampdoria (1945)

Juventus supremacy under threat as Serie A returns

Italy's Serie A was given the green light on Thursday to resume on June 20 after a three-month absence as one of the countries hardest hit by the&nbsp;coronavirus pandemic begins to ease restrictions.

Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said that the government's Technical and Scientific Committee (CTS) had agreed to the health protocol proposed by Italian football chiefs.

"Italy has started to return to normal life again, it is only right that football should do the same," said Spadafora.

"The federation assured me that it had a Plan B and a Plan C.

"In light of these considerations, the championship can resume on June 20."

Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina told the minister during the video conference there would be a play-off system if the championship were again interrupted, while the existing standings would be used if it were stopped.

"We had a very useful meeting," said Spadafora. "From the start, I said that football could restart once all the security conditions had been met."

No top-flight matches in Italy have been played since Sassuolo beat Brescia 3-0 on March 9.

One of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic with over 33,000 deaths, Italian football now faces a scheduling nightmare, for matches which will take place behind closed doors.

"I'm happy and satisfied," said Gravina.&nbsp;

"The restart of football represents a message of hope for the whole country."

Lega Serie A will meet on Friday morning to examine the different calendar hypotheses for the remaining Serie A and Italian Cup matches, amounting to 127 in total.

Most teams have 12 league games left to play, but there were four postponed fixtures.

Spadafora suggested that the Italian Cup could be concluded the week before the return to Serie A action.

The semi-final return leg matches between Inter Milan and Napoli and AC Milan and Juventus, could be played on June 13-14 with the final on June 17.

"I also hope to be able to send a positive signal to the whole country by taking advantage of the week from June 13 to 20 to conclude the Italian Cup," he added.

The announcement of the resumption of the Italian league comes just after the English Premier League confirmed it will restart on June 17.&nbsp;

The German championship has already resumed and Spain's La Liga will return to the pitch the week of June 8.&nbsp;

Among the five major European championships, only the French Ligue 1 has been definitively stopped.

"Finally today we have a date and the certainty that the championship will resume, it is a further signal that Italy is starting again," said Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini.&nbsp;

"We can't wait to get on the pitch and do what we love most, certain that we can give so many emotions to the millions of fans who were waiting."

But many issues remain to be resolved including match schedules, players' contracts which end on June 30, and unpaid TV rights by broadcasters.

"Having a certain date is certainly a step forward, but problems remain and we hope to resolve them," said Damiano Tommasi, president of the player's union.

"Footballers are not robots, there are concerns," the former Italy and Roman player said this week.

"A critical issue is (playing a) match at 4.30pm which in June and July in Italy is unthinkable."

The thorniest issue remains the two-week quarantine period in the case of a positive test, which Spadafora insisted would remain.

"The CTS agreed with the medical protocol, but confirmed the absolute necessity for a quarantine period if a player were to test positive," said Spadafora, who did not exclude future changes to the rule.

"I'm ready to bet on the resumption of the championship, but with this rule of quarantine of 14 days, the possibilities of concluding it are not high," said Enrico Castellacci, president of the Italian Football Doctors Association.

"It's a crime. I'm not going to quarantine 50 healthy people. We don't do this if there is a positive case in a factory," argued Lazio doctor Ivo Pulcini, with the Roman club committed to a resumption of the season, as they sit just one point behind leaders Juventus.

Italy's Serie A was given the green light on Thursday to resume on June 20 after a three-month absence as one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic begins to ease restrictions.

Italy's Serie A was given the green light on Thursday to resume on June 20 after a three-month absence as one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic begins to ease restrictions. Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said that the government's Technical and Scientific Committee (CTS) had agreed to the health protocol proposed by Italian football chiefs. "Italy has started to return to normal life again, it is only right that football should do the same," said Spadafora. "The federation assured me that it had a Plan B and a Plan C. "In light of these considerations, the championship can resume on June 20." Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina told the minister during the video conference there would be a play-off system if the championship were again interrupted, while the existing standings would be used if it were stopped. "We had a very useful meeting," said Spadafora. "From the start, I said that football could restart once all the security conditions had been met." No top-flight matches in Italy have been played since Sassuolo beat Brescia 3-0 on March 9. One of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic with over 33,000 deaths, Italian football now faces a scheduling nightmare, for matches which will take place behind closed doors. "I'm happy and satisfied," said Gravina. "The restart of football represents a message of hope for the whole country." Lega Serie A will meet on Friday morning to examine the different calendar hypotheses for the remaining Serie A and Italian Cup matches, amounting to 127 in total. Most teams have 12 league games left to play, but there were four postponed fixtures. Spadafora suggested that the Italian Cup could be concluded the week before the return to Serie A action. The semi-final return leg matches between Inter Milan and Napoli and AC Milan and Juventus, could be played on June 13-14 with the final on June 17. "I also hope to be able to send a positive signal to the whole country by taking advantage of the week from June 13 to 20 to conclude the Italian Cup," he added. The announcement of the resumption of the Italian league comes just after the English Premier League confirmed it will restart on June 17. The German championship has already resumed and Spain's La Liga will return to the pitch the week of June 8. Among the five major European championships, only the French Ligue 1 has been definitively stopped. "Finally today we have a date and the certainty that the championship will resume, it is a further signal that Italy is starting again," said Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini. "We can't wait to get on the pitch and do what we love most, certain that we can give so many emotions to the millions of fans who were waiting." But many issues remain to be resolved including match schedules, players' contracts which end on June 30, and unpaid TV rights by broadcasters. "Having a certain date is certainly a step forward, but problems remain and we hope to resolve them," said Damiano Tommasi, president of the player's union. "Footballers are not robots, there are concerns," the former Italy and Roman player said this week. "A critical issue is (playing a) match at 4.30pm which in June and July in Italy is unthinkable." The thorniest issue remains the two-week quarantine period in the case of a positive test, which Spadafora insisted would remain. "The CTS agreed with the medical protocol, but confirmed the absolute necessity for a quarantine period if a player were to test positive," said Spadafora, who did not exclude future changes to the rule. "I'm ready to bet on the resumption of the championship, but with this rule of quarantine of 14 days, the possibilities of concluding it are not high," said Enrico Castellacci, president of the Italian Football Doctors Association. "It's a crime. I'm not going to quarantine 50 healthy people. We don't do this if there is a positive case in a factory," argued Lazio doctor Ivo Pulcini, with the Roman club committed to a resumption of the season, as they sit just one point behind leaders Juventus.

'Return to normal life' as Italy's Serie A resumes on June 20

Serie A will learn the fate of the Italian season on Thursday with a government decision awaited on whether football can resume after three months in a country hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora will hold a video conference at 6:30pm (1630GMT) with representatives of Italian football including federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina and Lega Serie A chief Paolo Dal Pino.

Italian football bosses are hopeful that Italy can follow the German Bundesliga, which has already returned to the pitch, and Spain's La Liga which prepares to kick off again on June 8.

The season has been on hold since March 9 when it was halted as coronavirus infections spread rapidly in Italy. The pandemic has killed more than 33,000 people in the country.

Opposition has been particularly strong in Lombardy, the region most affected by the epidemic with nearly 16,000 deaths alone, and where four Serie A clubs play: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Atalanta and Brescia.&nbsp;

But there are strong indications that Spadafora, who just a month ago said he was "very skeptical" about the possibility of a return, will finally give the green light.

Italy have started to ease their strict lockdown measures and the daily figures have been reassuring, even if the virus is still circulating, especially in Lombardy.

The prospect of seeing Juventus and Lazio compete for the title has become acceptable again.

Italian football bosses want competition to resume on June 13, with the possibility of starting with Italian Cup semi-finals, followed by a full return to competition on June 20.

The worst-case scenario would be a government refusal to return to action which, like in France, would signal the end of the season.

But even in the event of a government green light on Thursday, the football world will have to complete the health protocol applicable for competition.&nbsp;

<h2>- Thorny quarantine dilemma&nbsp;-</h2>

Many issues remain to be resolved including match schedules, players' contracts which end on June 30 and unpaid TV rights by broadcasters.

But the thorniest remains the two-week quarantine period in the case of a positive test.

Bologna on Wednesday announced a "suspicious case" among one of their coaching staff.&nbsp;

Pending final results, the team have returned to individual training.&nbsp;

Above all, players and staff members must, if the positive test is confirmed, submit to a two-week quarantine period.

Football authorities remain hopeful that with the curb of contagions falling they can request that the quarantine period be reduced to seven days and that it no longer be collective.&nbsp;

"I'm ready to bet on the resumption of the championship, but with this rule of quarantine of 14 days, the possibilities of carrying it out are not immense," said Enrico Castellacci, president of the Italian Football Doctors Association.&nbsp;

"I'm not going to quarantine people who are in good health. We don't do this if there is a positive case in a factory," argued Lazio team doctor Ivo Pulcini, with the Roman club committed to a resumption of the championship, as they sit just one point behind leaders Juventus.

But first teams need the green light from Spadafora, who has blown hot and cold on calcio throughout the crisis.

Sports daily Corriere dello Sport warned that the minister was "a formidable specialist in traps and surprises".

"Spadafora, no jokes!" wrote daily Tuttosport.

The Turin newspaper recalled that accounting for one percent of GDP and more than 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in taxes paid, football is not a trivial sector for the Italian economy.

Serie A will learn the fate of the Italian season on Thursday with a government decision awaited on whether football can resume after three months in a country hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Serie A will learn the fate of the Italian season on Thursday with a government decision awaited on whether football can resume after three months in a country hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora will hold a video conference at 6:30pm (1630GMT) with representatives of Italian football including federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina and Lega Serie A chief Paolo Dal Pino. Italian football bosses are hopeful that Italy can follow the German Bundesliga, which has already returned to the pitch, and Spain's La Liga which prepares to kick off again on June 8. The season has been on hold since March 9 when it was halted as coronavirus infections spread rapidly in Italy. The pandemic has killed more than 33,000 people in the country. Opposition has been particularly strong in Lombardy, the region most affected by the epidemic with nearly 16,000 deaths alone, and where four Serie A clubs play: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Atalanta and Brescia. But there are strong indications that Spadafora, who just a month ago said he was "very skeptical" about the possibility of a return, will finally give the green light. Italy have started to ease their strict lockdown measures and the daily figures have been reassuring, even if the virus is still circulating, especially in Lombardy. The prospect of seeing Juventus and Lazio compete for the title has become acceptable again. Italian football bosses want competition to resume on June 13, with the possibility of starting with Italian Cup semi-finals, followed by a full return to competition on June 20. The worst-case scenario would be a government refusal to return to action which, like in France, would signal the end of the season. But even in the event of a government green light on Thursday, the football world will have to complete the health protocol applicable for competition. - Thorny quarantine dilemma - Many issues remain to be resolved including match schedules, players' contracts which end on June 30 and unpaid TV rights by broadcasters. But the thorniest remains the two-week quarantine period in the case of a positive test. Bologna on Wednesday announced a "suspicious case" among one of their coaching staff. Pending final results, the team have returned to individual training. Above all, players and staff members must, if the positive test is confirmed, submit to a two-week quarantine period. Football authorities remain hopeful that with the curb of contagions falling they can request that the quarantine period be reduced to seven days and that it no longer be collective. "I'm ready to bet on the resumption of the championship, but with this rule of quarantine of 14 days, the possibilities of carrying it out are not immense," said Enrico Castellacci, president of the Italian Football Doctors Association. "I'm not going to quarantine people who are in good health. We don't do this if there is a positive case in a factory," argued Lazio team doctor Ivo Pulcini, with the Roman club committed to a resumption of the championship, as they sit just one point behind leaders Juventus. But first teams need the green light from Spadafora, who has blown hot and cold on calcio throughout the crisis. Sports daily Corriere dello Sport warned that the minister was "a formidable specialist in traps and surprises". "Spadafora, no jokes!" wrote daily Tuttosport. The Turin newspaper recalled that accounting for one percent of GDP and more than 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in taxes paid, football is not a trivial sector for the Italian economy.

Serie A await govt green light after three-month suspension

Italy's Serie A teams have been given the green light to resume group training but will have to wait until May 28 to know whether the season can resume, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Tuesday.

Spadafora told Italian television that government scientists had accepted the Italian football federation's (FIGC) revised health protocol.

"The Scientific Technical Committee have approved the FIGC protocol for the resumption of team training," Spadafora told Rai.

"It is excellent news, collective training can now resume."

Spadafora said he has scheduled a meeting on May 28 with FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and Lega Serie A chief Paolo Dal Pino to decide on the return to competition.

"We will then decide if and when Serie A will restart," he said.&nbsp;

"The important thing will be to restart with the firm intention of completing the championship, then the federations will decide the modalities and formats to be adopted."

The minister said that a controversial measure of isolating team members for two weeks at club facilities to limit the risk of contagion has been withdrawn.&nbsp;

If a player tests positive he will be quarantined for two weeks, while the team will be placed in isolation, and monitored, but can continue to train together.

FIGC president Gravina welcomed a "decisive step on the path of restarting football in Italy".

Gravina said that FIGC Medical Scientific Commission were now working on the protocol for the return to competition.

The Italian season has been on hold since March 9 amid the pandemic which has killed more than 32,000 people in Italy.

Serie A teams have been training individually since May 4, with a government decree suspending all competition until June 14.

Italian players' union president Damiano Tommasi said Tuesday that footballers would need at least a month training before returning to competition.

"Even if some talk about six, at least four weeks would be needed to avoid injuries,"&nbsp;said the former Italy and Roma midfielder.

"Caution comes first because at this point you need real certainties from a medical and health point of view."

Italy's Serie A teams have been given the green light to resume group training but will have to wait until May 28 to know whether the season can resume, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Tuesday.

Italy's Serie A teams have been given the green light to resume group training but will have to wait until May 28 to know whether the season can resume, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Tuesday. Spadafora told Italian television that government scientists had accepted the Italian football federation's (FIGC) revised health protocol. "The Scientific Technical Committee have approved the FIGC protocol for the resumption of team training," Spadafora told Rai. "It is excellent news, collective training can now resume." Spadafora said he has scheduled a meeting on May 28 with FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and Lega Serie A chief Paolo Dal Pino to decide on the return to competition. "We will then decide if and when Serie A will restart," he said. "The important thing will be to restart with the firm intention of completing the championship, then the federations will decide the modalities and formats to be adopted." The minister said that a controversial measure of isolating team members for two weeks at club facilities to limit the risk of contagion has been withdrawn. If a player tests positive he will be quarantined for two weeks, while the team will be placed in isolation, and monitored, but can continue to train together. FIGC president Gravina welcomed a "decisive step on the path of restarting football in Italy". Gravina said that FIGC Medical Scientific Commission were now working on the protocol for the return to competition. The Italian season has been on hold since March 9 amid the pandemic which has killed more than 32,000 people in Italy. Serie A teams have been training individually since May 4, with a government decree suspending all competition until June 14. Italian players' union president Damiano Tommasi said Tuesday that footballers would need at least a month training before returning to competition. "Even if some talk about six, at least four weeks would be needed to avoid injuries," said the former Italy and Roma midfielder. "Caution comes first because at this point you need real certainties from a medical and health point of view."

Serie A group training gets all clear, season decision May 28

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training with Juventus in Turin on Tuesday after an absence of over two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 35-year-old drove himself into the Juventus Training Centre in a Jeep with tinted windows.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will undergo medical and physical tests before joining up with his teammates in training, according to media reports.

Juventus players returned to individual training on May 4, the day Ronaldo returned to Italy after spending lockdown in his native Portugal.&nbsp;

For the past two weeks, he has been in quarantine in his villa in Turin.

Ronaldo played in Juventus's last Serie A game before the season was suspended, a 2-0 win over Inter Milan behind closed doors at the Allianz Stadium on March 8.

Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 32,000 deaths.

Juventus are leading Lazio by one point as they target a ninth consecutive Scudetto.

Ronaldo is the first Juventus foreign player, among those who left Italy during the lockdown, to return to the team's Continassa training centre.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday that all its competitions, including Serie A, will remain suspended until June 14.

Serie A had hoped to return on June 13 but the FIGC has pushed back the date in line with a government decree that all sports competitions be suspended until next month.

The FIGC said the choice was made "pending any further... decision by the authorities", suggesting the possibility of a restart on June 13 might still exist.

But Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Saturday he needed "more guarantees" before the green light could finally be given for football to resume.

A meeting is planned in the near future between Conte and Italian football bosses.

The government's technical and scientific committee will decide in the coming days if it accepts the new health protocols proposed for a return to group training and competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training with Juventus in Turin on Tuesday after an absence of over two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 35-year-old drove himself into the Juventus Training Centre in a Jeep with tinted windows.

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training with Juventus in Turin on Tuesday after an absence of over two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 35-year-old drove himself into the Juventus Training Centre in a Jeep with tinted windows. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will undergo medical and physical tests before joining up with his teammates in training, according to media reports. Juventus players returned to individual training on May 4, the day Ronaldo returned to Italy after spending lockdown in his native Portugal. For the past two weeks, he has been in quarantine in his villa in Turin. Ronaldo played in Juventus's last Serie A game before the season was suspended, a 2-0 win over Inter Milan behind closed doors at the Allianz Stadium on March 8. Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 32,000 deaths. Juventus are leading Lazio by one point as they target a ninth consecutive Scudetto. Ronaldo is the first Juventus foreign player, among those who left Italy during the lockdown, to return to the team's Continassa training centre. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday that all its competitions, including Serie A, will remain suspended until June 14. Serie A had hoped to return on June 13 but the FIGC has pushed back the date in line with a government decree that all sports competitions be suspended until next month. The FIGC said the choice was made "pending any further... decision by the authorities", suggesting the possibility of a restart on June 13 might still exist. But Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Saturday he needed "more guarantees" before the green light could finally be given for football to resume. A meeting is planned in the near future between Conte and Italian football bosses. The government's technical and scientific committee will decide in the coming days if it accepts the new health protocols proposed for a return to group training and competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo back training at Juventus after two months

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday that all its competitions, including Serie A, will remain suspended until June 14.

The Lega Serie A had hoped for a return on June 13 but the FIGC has pushed back the date in line with a government decree that all sports competitions be suspended until next month.

The FIGC said the choice was made "pending any further... decision by the authorities", suggesting the possibility of a restart on June 13 might still exist.

The Italian season has been on hold since March 9 amid the pandemic which has killed more than 32,000 people in Italy.

But Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday said he needed "more guarantees" before the green light could finally be given for football to resume.

A meeting is planned in the near future between Conte and Italian football bosses.

The government's technical and scientific committee will decide in the coming days if it accepts the new health protocols proposed for a return to group training and competition.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday that all its competitions, including Serie A, will remain suspended until June 14. The Lega Serie A had hoped for a return on June 13 but the FIGC has pushed back the date in line with a government decree that all sports competitions be suspended until next month.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday that all its competitions, including Serie A, will remain suspended until June 14. The Lega Serie A had hoped for a return on June 13 but the FIGC has pushed back the date in line with a government decree that all sports competitions be suspended until next month. The FIGC said the choice was made "pending any further... decision by the authorities", suggesting the possibility of a restart on June 13 might still exist. The Italian season has been on hold since March 9 amid the pandemic which has killed more than 32,000 people in Italy. But Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday said he needed "more guarantees" before the green light could finally be given for football to resume. A meeting is planned in the near future between Conte and Italian football bosses. The government's technical and scientific committee will decide in the coming days if it accepts the new health protocols proposed for a return to group training and competition.

No Serie A restart before June 14, says FIGC

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