Serie A Roundup, Matchday 37
The 37th round of matches in the 2023/24 Serie A season showcased thrilling games, surprising results, and impressive individual displays. Here is a summary of the weekend’s matches.
Fiorentina 2-2 Napoli
Despite not achieving a first Serie A H2H double against Napoli since 1995/96, Fiorentina is very close to securing a spot in European competition after a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Napoli still holds slim hopes of European qualification despite being winless in their last six matches (with three draws and two losses), and they are set to finish outside the top seven for the first time since the 2008/09 season. On the other hand, Fiorentina is also looking forward to their second consecutive UEFA Europa Conference League final, where they will face Olympiacos at the end of the month.
Lecce 0-2 Atalanta
Atalanta guaranteed a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the next season by defeating US Lecce 2-0 in Serie A, marking their fifth consecutive win. Lecce, who were already safe from relegation, are currently in 14th place but are on a four-game winless streak, which is not the form they would like to have going into the next season. Atalanta remains in fifth place but is now just two points behind Juventus and Bologna with two games remaining.
Torino 3-1 AC Milan
Torino kept their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League alive by defeating AC Milan 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. They have only lost one of their last 11 matches against the six-time European champions at this venue. Torino secured their second consecutive win and are currently in ninth place, just one point behind Fiorentina, whom they are trying to catch up to, despite having played one more game. Milan, on the other hand, have a few weeks to relax before concluding their season against bottom-placed Salernitana next week.
Sassuolo 0-2 Cagliari
Cagliari took a significant step towards securing their place in Serie A with a crucial 2-0 win over Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium. The victory all but seals Sassuolo’s relegation, with Cagliari’s Lapadula scoring a late penalty to secure the three points. This result means that Cagliari could head into the final day of the season without much pressure. Sassuolo’s woes were further compounded by a late red card for Matheus Henrique, and they are now facing relegation to Serie B next season, marking their first time back in the second division since their promotion to Serie A in 2012/13.
Udinese 1-1 Empoli
Udinese and Empoli are both fighting to secure their place in Serie A until the last minute after an intense and controversial match ended in a 1-1 draw. The game took a dramatic turn when Lazar Samardžić fouled Nicolo Cambiaghi in the penalty area, leading to a goal by M’Baye Niang for Empoli. In a late twist, Martín Payero was fouled by Jacopo Fazzini in stoppage time, resulting in a penalty after a VAR review. Samardžić redeemed himself by converting the penalty and securing a crucial point for Udinese, keeping them out of the relegation zone with one game left.
Monza 0-1 Frosinone
Frosinone extended their lead over the Serie A relegation zone by two points after securing their first away victory of the season against midtable Monza. Monza, who have not won in their last eight league matches, tried to make a comeback with substitutions made by Raffaele Palladino, but Frosinone remained solid defensively, just like in their previous two away games. With favorable results from other teams in the league, coach Di Francesco is aware that a draw against lower-ranked Udinese in their upcoming home match will secure their place in Serie A for the next season.
Inter 1-1 Lazio
Denzel Dumfries scored a late equalizer in the 87th minute to help Inter Milan avoid only their second home defeat of the Serie A season. This goal leveled the match against Lazio, allowing Igor Tudor’s team to extend their unbeaten streak to seven games. Despite a lack of urgency in Inter’s play towards the end of the game, they managed to find a breakthrough just when it seemed like they were out of ideas. Dumfries, who had not scored since February, rose above Adam Marušić to score a crucial header that prevented Lazio from securing their spot in the top seven.
AS Roma 1-0 Genoa
Romelu Lukaku’s late header effectively secured AS Roma’s sixth-place position in Serie A as they continued their unbeaten streak at home against Genoa, making it 21 matches with a 1-0 victory. The Stadio Olimpico was filled with relief after Lukaku’s goal, and Roma now sits three points ahead of their rivals Lazio, who have a significantly lower goal difference. Genoa, who are in the middle of the table, didn’t pose much of a challenge until Lukaku’s decisive goal. Alberto Gilardino’s team will be disappointed as they missed out on a third consecutive away draw against top-eight Serie A opponents.
Salernitana 1-2 Verona
Verona clinched their spot in the next Serie A season with a well-deserved 2-1 win over Salernitana at the Stadio Arechi. This victory marked Salernitana’s 20th consecutive winless match (with 4 draws and 16 losses). Despite Salernitana scoring a goal in the 90th minute through Giulio Maggiore’s deflected shot, Verona comfortably managed the game and secured their third away win of the season to ensure their place in the top tier. On the other hand, Salernitana will finish the 2023/24 season with only one home league win, and their final match against AC Milan is likely to be a tough one based on their recent performance.
Bologna 3-3 Juventus
Juventus substitutes Arkadiusz Milik and Kenan Yıldız scored two late goals to help their team come back from a three-goal deficit and secure a 3-3 draw against Bologna. This extended Juventus’ unbeaten streak at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara to 23 matches. Bologna, managed by Thiago Motta, had only conceded one second-half goal at home in Serie A this season, making them frustrated to have given up such a comfortable lead. Despite lacking threat for most of the game, Juventus managed to salvage a draw with the help of Montero’s impactful substitutions, marking their sixth consecutive Serie A draw.
