Rome (AFP)
Small form for Juventus: the Turinese were beaten 2-1 by Hellas on Saturday in Verona during the 23rd day of Serie A, whose top ranking could singularly tighten.
This setback is only the third of the season for Juventus but, more annoying, it is especially the second in three days. The Turinese had indeed been beaten 2-1 by Naples two weeks ago.
The consequences for classification could also be significant. Because if Inter Milan wins the Derby against AC Milan on Sunday, it will join Juve with 54 points.
And Lazio Rome (3rd), if it wins Sunday in Parma, will pick up just one point from the Bianconero club for a superb match for three.
On Saturday, Maurizio Sarri's players fell against a brilliant team from Verona, who in eight days will therefore have taken five points against AC Milan, Lazio and Juventus. Nice surprise in the championship when he was in Serie B last season, the Hellas climbed to 6th place.
The first period was lively and balanced with Verona a Kumbulla goal canceled for an offside to the centimeter and, on the Juve side, a cross touched by Douglas Costa and a post struck by Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese then gave the advantage to Juventus in the second period (1-0, 65th) on a fantastic goal of physical strength, which showed how he remained dominant in this area despite his 35 years.
- Bonucci sanctioned -
With this goal, the fivefold Ballon d'Or has now surpassed David Trezeguet to offer himself the record for the number of consecutive matches with at least one goal scored in the shirt of Juventus. He brought it to 10 games, with a total of 15 goals over the period.
Ronaldo is very close to the absolute record in Serie A - 11 consecutive matches - shared by Batistuta and Quagliarella.
After the goal of the former Madrid, we thought that the fatigue of the match played Wednesday against Lazio would catch up with the Veronese and that the games were made.
But the team of Ivan Juric absolutely did not give up and logically equalized, thanks to Borini on an error by Pjanic (1-1, 76th). At the end of the match, a hand from Bonucci then offered a penalty to Verona, transformed by Pazzini for the 2-1 victory (86th).
The rest of the program offers two relegates to Juventus to relaunch (Brescia and Spal). But then there will be the 26th day and a sort of final against Inter Milan.
And while the knockout stages of the Champions League and the double confrontation against Lyon are approaching, Sarri's team still does not give all the guarantees.
- Atalanta in shape -
At the approach of European events, Atalanta Bergamo consolidated its 4th place and took another step towards a new qualification in C1 by going to beat Fiorentina 2-1.
The business is excellent for Atalanta because AS Rome (5th), its main rival for this famous 4th place, the last to offer a place in C1, is going through a difficult period and lost on Friday against Bologna (3 -2).
By winning on Saturday, the Bergamasques therefore took three lengths ahead of the Romans, whom they will receive from the next day with the aim of widening the gap a little more.
Then it will be time to think about the reception of Valencia at the San Siro stadium in Milan, one of the strongest moments in the history of Atalanta.
Saturday, the players of Gian Piero Gasperini had to wait for the second period to take the measure of Fiorentina, who opened the scoring before the break on a beautiful strike from Chiesa (1-0, 32nd).
Then domineering, Atalanta first equalized by Zapata (48th), then took the advantage via Malinovskyi (72nd).
© 2020 AFP