Juventus were prevented from clinching a fourth consecutive Serie A title with a 2-1 loss at Torino on Sunday in a derby marred by fan violence.
After Andrea Pirlo put Juventus ahead with a free-kick 35 minutes in, fellow Italy international Matteo Darmian equalized just before halftime and former Juve forward Fabio Quagliarella scored the winner in the 57th minute.
It was only Juve’s third loss in Serie A this season and the first time Torino have won the derby in 20 years. Since Torino’s last win in April 1995, they had lost 13 derbies and drawn four.
Photo: AFP
“The fans deserved this victory,” Quagliarella said. “It’s tough to describe the emotions now.”
Before the match, Torino fans attacked the bus carrying Juve’s players as it approached the stadium, breaking a window. Juventus supporters retaliated by throwing fireworks at Torino fans inside the stadium, injuring several.
At least five people were arrested.
Photo: EPA
“There were no problems between the teams on the field of play,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “Unfortunately, in Italy we’re still far behind in this regard and there are people who continue to do these things.”
Juventus needed a win and a SS Lazio loss to clinch the title and Lazio were held to a 1-1 draw at home by AC Chievo Verona.
Miroslav Klose gave Lazio the lead in the 45th minute after dribbling past two defenders and chipping in from a sharp angle. Alberto Paloschi equalized in the 76th minute with an angled shot.
SSC Napoli came back from a goal down at home to beat UC Sampdoria 4-2 for their third straight win, moving the southern club within two points of AS Roma in the race for third place and the final UEFA Champions League berth.
After an own-goal from Raul Albiol, Napoli struck back with two goals from Gonzalo Higuain, then one each from Manolo Gabbiadini and Lorenzo Insigne. Luis Muriel pulled one back for Samp in the 89th minute.
ACF Fiorentina are sixth after their third straight loss, a 3-1 home defeat to Cagliari.
Duje Cop scored twice in the Sardinian club’s first match since Zdenek Zeman resigned as coach.
Alberto Gilardino pulled one back for Fiorentina in the 74th minute for his first goal since rejoining the club from Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande, but Diego Farias restored the two-goal advantage in stoppage-time.
In other matches, Luca Toni scored twice as 10-man Hellas Verona beat US Sassuolo 3-2; Antonio Nocerino converted a penalty as crisis-hit Parma defeated US Citta di Palermo 1-0 to put off relegation for another week; Genoa beat AC Cesena 3-1; and Atalanta BC and Empoli drew 2-2 in a lunchtime fixture which was marred by a changing-room brawl.
Fresh off qualifying for the Champions League semi-finals, Allegri started with standout forward Carlos Tevez on Juve’s bench, opting for Alvaro Morata and Alessandro Matri in attack instead.
Those choices seemed to be of no consequence when Pirlo curved a free-kick over the wall and in off the underside of the crossbar midway through the first half, but poor defending allowed Darmian to equalize after taking a pass from Quagliarella.
Pirlo hit the post with another free-kick in the 52nd minute, before Quagliarella scored the winner five minutes later, using one touch to redirect a cross from Darmian.
Tevez replaced Morata in the 65th minute and Matri hit the post in the 81st.
Juventus had another chance in the 83rd minute when Pirlo set up Stefano Sturaro, but his header was saved by Daniele Padelli.
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