Raspadori fires Napoli to win over Juve as Bologna’s dream continues

Giacomo Raspadori struck late to present Napoli a 2-1 win over unlucky Juventus on Sunday, whereas Bologna’s Champions League dream continues after beating top-four rivals Atalanta 2-1.

Italy attacker Raspadori rammed dwelling the winner on the rebound within the 88th minute after Wojciech Szczesny saved Victor Osimhen’s penalty as Napoli confirmed glimpses {that a} dreadful season as champions could be handing over the proper route.

Napoli regarded like having to just accept a draw from their full of life show within the 81st minute when Federico Chiesa cancelled out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s volleyed opener with a rifled end of his personal.

Francesco Calzona’s group are seventh, three factors behind sixth-placed Atalanta who sit within the Europa Convention League spot following their loss earlier on Sunday.

Champions League soccer continues to be an enormous ask as Napoli are eight factors away from the fourth place held by Bologna, however there was a transparent enchancment beneath Calzona, who changed Walter Mazzarri final month.

Renewed confidence at Napoli and, particularly, of star ahead Kvaratskhelia additionally bodes properly for the journey to Barcelona later this month when a spot within the Champions League quarter-finals will probably be up for grabs.

Juventus, who had been with no host of gamers together with injured key midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Weston McKennie, have given Inter Milan one other probability to increase their huge league lead in opposition to Genoa on Monday night time.

Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve path champions-elect Inter by 12 factors and second place is way from safe with AC Milan respiratory down their necks, only a single level again in third.

Defeat was harsh for Juve who not solely fought again from going a aim down however had a bunch of possibilities, Dusan Vlahovic hitting the put up after which losing one other nice alternative on the stroke of half-time along with his group trailing.

Bologna dreaming

Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee celebrated his first Netherlands call-up by levelling Ademola Lookman’s first-half opener with a penalty within the 57th minute earlier than Lewis Ferguson received the match with a phenomenal volley 4 minutes later.

A sixth straight win put daylight between Thiago Motta’s Bologna and the remainder of Italy’s bidders for subsequent season’s revamped model of Europe’s prime membership competitors.

Shocking Bologna are 4 factors forward of fellow in-form outfit Roma who’re fifth following their 4-1 thumping of Monza on Saturday.

“I regarded up on the ball because it got here previous Joshua and the one factor I assumed was ‘shoot’,” mentioned Ferguson to DAZN of his superb winner.

Bologna are seven-time Italian champions, however they haven’t received the Scudetto since 1964.

Their final league title led to a short-lived marketing campaign within the outdated European Cup, the place they had been knocked out on the first try by Anderlecht on a coin toss following a 2-2 mixture draw.

“I’m not enthusiastic about it in any respect, I’m simply enthusiastic about our performances,” insisted Motta when requested about Champions League qualification.

Domenico Berardi is vulnerable to lacking Euro 2024 with Italy after struggling an Achilles tendon harm throughout Sassuolo’s 1-0 defeat at relegation rivals Verona.

Karol Swiderski ensured that Verona stayed one place above the relegation zone with the one aim in opposition to Nineteenth-placed Sassuolo, who misplaced their first match beneath Davide Ballardini and are in free fall.

Cagliari are simply inside the underside three however stage on 23 factors with Verona after Jakub Jankto netted the decisive strike in a 1-0 win at Empoli.

Empoli are solely two factors above the drop zone in 14th in a crowded battle in opposition to relegation, stage with Lecce who drew 1-1 at fellow strugglers Frosinone.