With a top four Serie A required to earn a place in Europe’s leading club tournament, Juve’s interim head coach Igor Tudor steered his new charges to maximum points at the expense of Genoa on Saturday.
Saturday’s 1-0 triumph, courtesy of Kenan Yildiz’s 25th-minute strike, was enough to maintain fifth place in the Italian top tier and earn praise from former Juve defender Tudor.
Bologna sit one position above the Bianconeri following their 1-0 success over hosts Venezia. Riccardo Orsolini banged in the winner on 49 minutes at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, Italy’s second-oldest soccer stadium
Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna have won their past five Serie A matches, and will host Juventus at their Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on 4 May.
AS Roma are another in-form team. Claudio Ranieri has masterminded seven league wins on the spin since last month’s 1-1 stalemate at home to Napoli. AS Roma beat lowly Lecce 1-0 to lie three points behind Juve.
Tudor's big test in Rome
Tudor will take his troops to the Stadio Olympico for their Serie A clash next Saturday, and defeat could see Roma leapfrog Juventus in the table.
Lazio tackle Torino tomorrow. Victory would lift them over AS Roma and just a single point behind the Bianconeri. Lazio travel to Atalanta next Saturday. Should they beat both Torino and Atalanta, and Juventus slip up against Roma, then Tudor’s team could suddenly find themselves languishing in seventh place.
Ex-Juventus ace sinks Atalanta
Fiorentina scored a 1-0 victory over Atalanta today. Former Juve striker Moise Kean continued his impressive season to slot home on the stroke of half-time, to keep his side in the chase for continental competition next term.
Atalanta’s Scudetto hopes were dented following the defeat plus triumphs for table-topping Inter Milan and title-challenging Napoli.
Former Juve boss in title chase
Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi was sent off during his team's 2-1 home win over Udinese today, and in the evening Conte’s Napoli survived a second-half onslaught from AC Milan to claim a thrilling 2-1 success.
The reversal for Milan dealt a bitter blow in their bid for European soccer next season. Yet it was good news for Juventus, as it means there’s one less rival for the all-important fourth place finish that secures Champions League soccer.
Fifth position at the end of the season will clinch a Europa League berth, while finishing sixth will earn an Italian team a place in the Conference League qualifiers.