Juventus missed the prospect to maneuver into Serie A’s Champions League positions on Sunday after being held to a 1-1 draw at fellow prime 4 hopefuls Roma. Igor Tudor’s workforce keep fifth, stage on 56 factors with fourth-placed Bologna in a good battle for a spot in Europe’s elite membership competitors. Eldor Shomurodov earned Roma a degree 4 minutes after the break together with his sixth purpose of the season, cancelling out an outstanding volley crashed in by Manuel Locatelli shortly earlier than half-time. Tudor was introduced in final month to get Juve into the Champions League, however Sunday’s draw towards a direct rival complicates issues in a six-team battle for 2 locations, with Inter Milan and Napoli contesting the league title and virtually sure of qualification. Juve can’t afford to overlook out on the Champions League given the membership’s current detrimental monetary historical past and the over 200 million euros ($217 million) invested in renewing the squad for Tudor’s sacked predecessor Thiago Motta.
The Turin giants will nevertheless transfer above Bologna on purpose distinction if Vincenzo Italiano’s aspect lose at residence to Napoli on Monday night time, as Juve are solely a spot under within the desk by advantage of getting performed a sport extra.
But simply six factors separate Fiorentina in eighth and third-placed Atalanta, who solely lead Juve by two factors after falling to a 3rd straight defeat, 1-0 at residence to sixth-placed Lazio.
Roma are three factors behind Bologna in seventh after a draw which snapped a seven-match run of league wins however confirmed some encouraging indicators for a tough run-in.
Claudio Ranieri’s rejuvenated workforce face Lazio subsequent weekend in what guarantees to be a very spicy derby, whereas off-form Atalanta welcome Bologna in one other vital match.
Contenders for a primary league title just a few weeks in the past, a 3rd loss in a row with out scoring has left Atalanta wanting over their shoulders.
Gustav Isaksen poked residence Lazio’s winner after a defensive mix-up within the 54th minute in Bergamo, the place Atalanta have not received a home fixture since earlier than Christmas.
Atalanta have not even scored of their final 4 residence league fixtures and Sunday’s defeat felt like a massively profitable period was coming to an finish for the provincial upstarts, who’re anticipated to lose coach Gian Piero Gasperini in the summertime.
Gasperini has been on the helm since 2016 and, with the assistance of the native Percassi household who information the membership, has taken Atalanta from mid-table fodder to Europa League winners.
But Atalanta’s beforehand flowing attacking soccer has dried up for the reason that flip of the 12 months, and stars Ademola Lookman and Mateo Retegui have been substituted within the seventy fifth minute with the hosts chasing the sport following poor particular person performances.
Italy striker Retegui missed Atalanta’s solely actual probability of the sport 4 minutes earlier than Isaksen’s winner for Lazio.
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