Rome (AFP)

Atalanta beat Juventus (1-0) for the first time in twenty years in the league, dislodging the Bianconeri, harmless in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, third place in the standings, Sunday during the 31st day of the Serie AT.

This shock scent of the Champions League, locked and intense, was released at the very end of the match by Ruslan Malinovskyi whose strike, deflected by Turin defender Alex Sandro, left Wojciech Szczesny (87th) no chance.

However, the Turin goalkeeper had just saved his team a few seconds earlier with a very well placed free kick from the same Malinovskyi.

This defeat darkens a little more the season of Juventus of Andrea Pirlo.

After giving up her dreams of a tenth consecutive scudetto, the "Old Lady" also sees qualification for the Champions League threatened: here she is fourth (final qualifying place for the C1) and can even be joined in the evening by Naples (5th) in case of success of the players of Gennaro Gattuso on the leader, Inter Milan.

In the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, injured, the returning Paolo Dybala, tenured for the first time in more than three months after a knee injury, has failed to weigh.

He offered a goal ball to Weston McKennie (38th) and grazed the Bergamasque cage on a free kick (63rd), but that's about it until his exit (68th).

Alvaro Morata missed two great opportunities (34th, then Gollini stoppage 76th).

Juventus, dominating in the first period with in particular an Adrien Rabiot in sight, died out little by little after the break, losing Federico Chiesa to injury (58th).

Atalanta defended well and also provided some good opportunities, without succeeding in catching the frame at first (Pessina, 24th, Muriel 59th, Zapata, 70th).

But from the moment they found him, thanks to Malinovskyi, Juve broke down.

This is the ninth victory in the last ten matches for Atalanta, which, in addition to the good operation in the standings, offers a nice psychological advantage over the Turinese before the final of the Italian Cup which will oppose the two teams in a month.

© 2021 AFP