Serie A leaders Juventus on Wednesday continued to stutter toward a ninth straight league title as they threw away a two-goal lead before settling for a thrilling 3-3 draw at US Sassuolo.
Juventus are seven points ahead of Atalanta BC, with five games left to play after their winless run was extended to three matches.
SS Lazio, who missed the chance to retake second and cut the gap to Juventus to six points with a goalless draw against Udinese, are one point behind Atalanta in third.
Photo: AFP
“A coach demands continuity and at this moment, we don’t have it physically and mentally,” Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri said. “We had very good moments that alternated with difficult moments. It should also be said that we are facing teams that arrive in great shape, such as Atalanta and Sassuolo. We have to solve the problem of these ups and downs.”
Juventus were two goals up within 12 minutes, thanks to Brazilian Danilo and Gonzalo Higuain.
However, despite the return of captain Giorgio Chiellini, the Turin giants showed signs of weakness in defense again and have conceded 11 goals in five games.
Sassuolo took advantage, with Filip Djuricic pulling one back for the hosts just before the half-hour mark, before Domenico Berardi curled in a free-kick on 50 minutes and Francesco Caputo blasted in a third four minutes later.
Alex Sandro headed Juventus level with 26 minutes to play, but the defending champions had goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to thank for securing a point as the Pole pulled off a string of late saves.
Juventus, in their previous two games, lost 4-2 to AC Milan and needed a 90th-minute Cristiano Ronaldo penalty-kick to snatch a 2-2 draw with Atalanta.
The Turin giants next host Lazio on Monday after Atalanta visit Verona this weekend, looking to cut the gap to four points.
“Now we must not do calculations, but only think game by game,” Sarri added.
Inter still harbor hopes of a late title push and had the chance to jump from fourth to second, six points behind Juventus, when traveling to face SPAL yesterday.
Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio, who were only one point adrift when Serie A returned following the COVID-19 lockdown, were held by Udinese after three consecutive defeats, as their hopes of a first Scudetto in two decades suffered another blow.
City rivals AS Roma, in fifth, continued their good form with a 2-1 win over ninth-placed Hellas Verona, thanks to a Jordan Veretout penalty and an Edin Dzeko header.
Roma are four points ahead of SSC Napoli and AC Milan.
AC Milan boosted their UEFA Europa League hopes with a 3-1 comeback win over Parma to move level on points with sixth-placed Napoli, who were held 1-1 at Bologna.
Stefano Pioli’s Milan are unbeaten in seven league games since the resumption.
Goals from Franck Kessie, Alessio Romagnoli and Hakan Calhanoglu saw off 12th-placed Parma, who had taken the lead thanks to a Jasmin Kurtic goal just before the break at the San Siro.
Milan sit six points clear of eighth-placed Sassuolo, with seventh likely to be enough for a Europa League spot due to Napoli’s Coppa Italia triumph.
Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso said he was worried ahead of the Champions League last-16 second leg against Barcelona after his side let a lead slip against Bologna.
“We have to play to prepare for Barcelona and with performances like this we will not go anywhere,” Gattuso said.
UC Sampdoria moved away from the relegation zone with a 3-0 win over 11th-placed Cagliari.
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