A foul day for Juventus turned worse when a 4-1 loss at Empoli on Monday noticed its hopes of qualifying for the Champions League implode.
Earlier than kickoff, Juventus was hit by a 10-point penalty for false accounting. That dropped the membership to seventh in Serie A, 5 factors behind fourth-placed AC Milan. Juve hosts Milan subsequent weekend in one among its ultimate two matches.
“It was a psychological collapse which is regular after a surreal season,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri stated. “At this level it’s sufficient, it’s one factor after the opposite. They (league organizers) have to determine as soon as and for all the place we’re.
“The blokes did their greatest. It’s not an excuse, however discovering your self with 10 factors much less, 1 / 4 of an hour earlier than the match is not less than mitigating circumstances. It’s been a extremely tiring yr, at all times going forwards and backwards. And on the sphere, we’re second.”
One other route into the Champions League ended final week in a loss to Sevilla after further time of their Europa League semifinal.
Regardless of the factors penalty — which it may nonetheless attraction — Juventus knew a win at Empoli would nonetheless depart its probabilities of a Serie A top-four end in its personal palms.
Juventus thought it took an early lead when Arkadiusz Milik headed a nook off the crossbar and Federico Gatti bundled within the rebound but it surely was dominated out for a foul by Bremer on the goalkeeper.
As an alternative, Empoli went in entrance from a Francesco Caputo penalty within the 18th minute after Milik had fouled Nicolò Cambiaghi.
Sebastiano Luperto doubled Empoli’s lead three minutes later, tapping within the rebound after Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny brilliantly parried Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro at shut vary.
After the break, Akpa Akpro stole the ball off Bianconeri defender Alex Sandro and bore down on purpose earlier than rolling throughout for Caputo to dink it over Szczęsny.
The one excellent news for Juventus got here late when Federico Chiesa scored his first league purpose in additional than a yr. Chiesa was out for 10 months final yr with a knee damage.
There was nonetheless time for Roberto Piccoli to cap an excellent evening for Empoli.
ROMA HELD
Roma was held at dwelling by Salernitana to 2-2 however had its Champions League hopes boosted.
Salernitana twice took the lead by Antonio Candreva and Boulaye Dia however was twice pegged again by objectives from Stephan El Shaarawy and Nemanja Matić.
Roma began the day seven factors off then fourth-placed Inter Milan however, regardless of dropping factors, moved to inside 4 factors of the highest 4 following Juve’s punishment.
Roma may also qualify for the Champions League if it beats Sevilla within the Europa League ultimate on Could 31.
Roma was on a five-match winless run and acquired off to a depressing begin on the Stadio Olimpico when Salernitana took the lead in spectacular style within the twelfth minute. Lassana Coulibaly floated a protracted ball excessive and Candreva sprung the offside lure, waited for it to dip, earlier than sticking his leg out to volley it into the highest proper nook.
José Mourinho made a triple change on the break and had a direct affect. Two minutes after the restart, a kind of substitutes, Lorenzo Pellegrini, noticed his free kick saved and El Shaarawy fireplace dwelling the rebound.
Salernitana restored its benefit seven minutes later with one other elegant end. Krzysztof Piątek’s shot got here off Roma defender Chris Smalling and into the trail of Dia, who flicked it in with the again of his heel.
Matić — one other one of many halftime substitutes — rescued some extent for Roma seven minutes from time.