Now out of the Top 4, six points behind Atalanta (4th), Roma (5th) lost to Bologna (1-0) which continues to play spoilsport, staying in contact with the Fiorentina (6th) and Juventus (7th).

Naples thought they had done the hard part when Dries Mertens, responsible for making forget the absent Victor Osimhen at the top, cracked the Neroverdi defense twice.

The Belgian leprechaun first sacrificed himself to intercept a ball, just in front of the surface, which Fabian Ruiz (51st) took advantage of, then he concluded a nice movement on a service from Piotr Zielinski (58th).

But Sassuolo hung on.

And after reducing the mark on a strong strike from Gianluca Scamacca (71st), the Neroverdi snatched the equalizer by Gian Marco Ferrari from the head (89th).

They even came very close to the feat, being denied a goal in added time for a foul by Domenico Berardi, reported by video assistance!

"When Sassuolo reacted with force, at 2-0, we failed to turn the ball and lost balls that were too easy," regretted the Neapolitan coach Luciano Spelletti, excluded at the end of the match for protest.

This draw benefits Milan, winner with the manner of Genoa, coached by the former star striker of the Rossoneri, Andriy Shevchenko.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic found the loophole on his first opportunity, a full-axis free kick that left his ex-teammate of Paris SG, Salvatore Sirigu (10th) far from the ball.

The joy of the Swedish striker of AC Milan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, congratulated by his coach Stefano Pioli, after opening the scoring against Genoa, during the 15th day of Serie A, December 1, 2021 in Genoa Marco BERTORELLO AFP

Double of Messias

But then it was Junior Messias who shone with a superb double (head in the 45th + 2, hit flush with the post in the 61st), a week after his Champions League goal against Atlético Madrid.

The 30-year-old Brazilian, who arrived late in Serie A, has "the right qualities but also different characteristics from the players we had," said his coach Stefano Pioli.

The joy of Brazilian midfielder of AC Milan, Junior Messias, author of a double against Genoa, during the 15th day of Serie A, December 1, 2021 in Genoa Marco BERTORELLO AFP

The injury of defender Simon Kjaer (knee) tarnished the evening of the Rossoneri, who defended with authority their second place coveted by Inter.

Simone Inzaghi's players, undefeated for ten matches in all competitions, had previously dominated Spezia, led by ex-Intériste Thiago Motta, thanks to a biting Lautaro Martinez.

Roberto Gagliardini, tenured to blast Nicolo Barella, opened the scoring (36th) by taking advantage of a heel from the Argentinian "toro", who then doubled the penalty (58th).

The joy of the Argentinian striker of Inter Milan, Lautaro Martinez, after scoring on a penalty against Spezia, during the 15th day of Serie A, on December 1, 2021 at the San Siro Miguel Stadium MEDINA AFP

"Inter must continue like this, we play a lot of games without defeat, but in front of them running, nobody stops," said Simone Inzaghi on DAZN.

Before their trip to Madrid to compete with Real for first place in their group in C1, the Nerazzurri are expected on Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico.

They will find a tense Roma there after his defeat in Bologna, on a nice strike from Mattias Svanberg (35th).

Despite several opportunities, the Giallorrossi were unable to return, to the chagrin of José Mourinho, very annoyed three days later to find the club he had taken to a historic treble in 2010.

© 2021 AFP