By Edoardo Stella
Results from round 28 of the 2020/21 season:
Serie A table:
Parma’s defects emerge again
It appeared like Parma could give continuity to their win against Roma, as they went ahead with a splendid goal from Graziano Pelle, who returned to scoring after more than nine years in the Serie A.
However, Genoa overturned the verdict in the second half, with substitute Gianluca Scamacca setting a spark and scoring two goals for his team. This left Parma stunned and whilst there are still 30 points at stake, their chances are reducing.
Considering they only have 19 points, they would need to be almost perfect from now on.
Bologna come-back against wasteful Crotone
Second head-to-head game of the weekend and it is yet another away win. It comes in a spectacular manner after Junior Messias’s free-kick and Simy’s penalty had put Crotone up by two goals.
Crotone could finally move closer to safety, but it wasn’t to be, as Bologna’s second-half was something else.
The Rossoblu’s substitutes Jerdy Schouten and Andreas Skov Olsen proved decisive in overturning the result, as Bologna went on to win and move up to 36 points.
Cagliari left stunned by Spezia
A game that could prove decisive in terms of survival, as Spezia move seven points above Cagliari, who could have made an important step forward, but remain with nothing on their hands.
The Sardinians were off quickly, but couldn’t find a goal and were left stunned in the second half when Roberto Piccoli scored soon after the getaway. Spezia found a second before Gaston Pereiro made it 2-1 with seven minutes to play.
There were plenty of chances in the final minutes, including a disallowed goal, but Spezia managed to hold on for such crucial three points to the expenses of a direct rival.
Embed from Getty ImagesAtalanta up to third, as Verona’s poor form continues
Every week it could be possible to mention different Atalanta players excelling in this Serie A, as Ruslan Malinovskyi converted a penalty before assisting Duvan Zapata’s brilliant run.
Atalanta claim a comfortable 2-0 win, also hitting the woodwork twice and coming close yet again with a wonderful solo run from Luis Muriel. Verona are winless in three games and it appeared like their level is dropping towards the end, similar to last season.
Atalanta find themselves in Champions League places and are getting closer to a great result for the third year running.
Embed from Getty ImagesAntonio Candreva brings Sampdoria back in the top 10
The fight for the top 10 is getting entertaining, as Sampdoria and Bologna make use of Udinese’s faux-pas to move past. With Sassuolo and Verona on a poor run, Sampdoria are just four points behind eighth.
Candreva was on the scoresheet to finalise a splendid combination between Fabio Quagliarella, Tommaso Augello and Manolo Gabbiadini.
It looks like Sampdoria’s addition in attack are paying off and this win projects them towards a comfortable end of the season.
Minimal effort for Lazio to move past Udinese
Udinese were unable to extend their unbeaten run, as all the occasions came off the feet of Rodrigo De Paul, who was unable to fend off the Biancocelesti on his own.
Adam Marusic gifted Lazio three points, which keeps them on track for the top four fight, although they are still six points back.
They surely have the quality to do it, but they will need to be more consistent from now on and Ciro Immobile will need to break his six games goalless drought, as goals from the midfielders will not always be enough.
Embed from Getty ImagesAstonishing win for Benevento at the Allianz Stadium
Juventus had an enormous chance to mount the pressure on leaders Inter, considering their game was called off.
However, the Bianconeri found the way to lose against a Benevento side who had not won their previous 13 games, as an error from Arthur gifted a goal to Adolfo Gaich. Juventus find themselves in a precarious situation, as they may also need to watch their back for the top four.
They have failed to win more than three league games in a row this season and once again this occurs, as Benevento are the first newly-promoted side to remain unbeaten against the champions since 2012-13.
Can this give them the courage to hold on in the Serie A, now that they extend the lead over Cagliari to seven points?
Calhanoglu and Ibrahimovic revive Milan’s challenge
The return of Hakan Calhanoglu and Zlatan Ibrahimovic aided Milan past Fiorentina, with an entertaining match that saw the Rossoneri emerge as winners after being down.
Failing to win would surely have meant that Inter had a highway for the title, but also that Milan would seriously need to worry for their top-four spot as well. Ibrahimovic’s goal that put Milan in front was an illusion, as Erick Pulgar and Franck Ribery overturned the result.
Once again, Milan’s tenacity and heart emerges, as goals from Brahim Diaz and Hakan Calhanoglu gifted the Rossoneri points, hope and confidence.
Napoli kill Roma’s chances
Roma were looking less brilliant in the second round of games, while Napoli appeared to recover after dropping as low as seventh. The game on Sunday night gave continuity to the teams’ form, with Dries Mertens netting two goals that move Napoli close to Champions League places.
Winning their game in hand against Juventus would mean moving to third and sending the Bianconeri in fifth.
Napoli are off two away games with Milan and Roma, in which they kept two clean sheets, so the game at the Allianz Stadium will be a must-follow.
For Edoardo’s previous Serie A column click here.
For more football content click here.
For more sport content click here.
