SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio.
Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar.
The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres was fouled, only for the decision to be reversed for a foul committed by Giovanni Simeone earlier in the move.
Photo: AP
A feisty match at the Stadio Ennio Tardini ended with Conte and his Parma counterpart Cristian Chivu both being sent off following a blazing row between the two dugouts in the final moments.
However, a home win on the final day against Cagliari, who are safe thanks to a 3-0 victory over second-from-bottom Venezia, would give Napoli a fourth league crown.
“We’re close, but we have more step to take in front of our own fans. We’ve been top for a large part of the season even with a lot of difficulties,” Conte told DAZN. “It’s down to these boys who put their heart and soul into it. I really hope we can win this title because it would truly be a great achievement.”
Photo: Reuters
Inter’s final fixture is at Como, who are finishing their first Serie A season in over two decades in great form, although Cesc Fabregas’ team’s winning streak ended at six matches with a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona.
Napoli were saved from being overtaken by Inter thanks to a Pedro brace for Lazio, including a 90th-minute penalty.
Denzel Dumfries thought he had headed home a potentially key goal with 10 minutes remaining at the San Siro, before a Yann Bisseck handball allowed UEFA Champions League chasers Lazio to snatch a point.
Inter once again showed their wasteful side by giving away a lead twice, with Bisseck opening the scoring on the stroke of halftime, before Pedro netted in the 73rd minute, while Marko Arnautovic missed a golden chance to move the hosts top in the dying moments of the match.
Coach Simone Inzaghi will also miss the final match of the season after being sent off for his livid reaction at the video assistant referee check which led to Pedro leveling from the penalty spot.
No one from the Inter spoke to media after the match, in apparent protest over the decision to give Lazio their penalty.
Lazio drawing kept the Roman club in the hunt for the final Champions league spot, although Marco Baroni’s team are two points behind four-placed Juventus, who beat mid-table Udinese 2-0.
Sandwiched between Juve and Lazio are AS Roma, who beat 10-man AC Milan 3-1 on a night when fans honored Claudio Ranieri in his last home match as coach for his boyhood club.
Milan, who had to play most of the match a man down after Santiago Gimenez was sent off in the 21st minute, sit ninth and will not play in Europe next season.
Bologna’s bid for the Champions League is over after a 3-2 defeat at ACF Fiorentina which left the Coppa Italia winners five points behind Juve.
However, Vincenzo Italiano’s team will play in the UEFA Europa League next season thanks to their historic cup victory on Wednesday over Milan, their first major trophy since 1974.
A point was not enough to guarantee Parma safety as Chivu’s team are two points above Empoli, who are just inside the relegation zone after beating relegated AC Monza 3-1.
Empoli are level on 31 points with US Lecce, who moved one place above the relegation zone with a 1-0 victory over Torino.
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