MILAN, Apr 08 (Agencies): Napoli drew 1-1 with ten-man Genoa on Sunday to ensure that Juventus will have to wait another week to seal an eighth consecutive Serie A title.
The champions have a 20-point advantage on second-placed Napoli, who they have beaten in both their head-to-head clashes, with seven games to go.
Juventus, who beat AC Milan 2-1 on Saturday, needed Napoli to lose to win the Scudetto for the 35th time, ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Ajax next week.
A draw next weekend at lowly SPAL would be enough for Massimiliano Allegri's side to win the title which would be the first in Italy for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite their numerical advantage, Napoli struggled to contain the visitors who inflicted the only league defeat this season on Juventus last month.
Genoa went a man down when Stefano Sturaro was sent off on 28 minutes following a VAR review for a diving studs-up tackle on Allan.
Dries Mertens blasted in the opener on 34 minutes, but Darko Lazovic pulled Genoa level just before the break.
Genoa goalkeeper Ionut Radu ensured his 14th-placed side went away with a point with a string of fine saves including two late on Mertens and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Meanwhile, Atalanta, missing leading scorer Duvan Zapata through suspension, earned a crucial point in their chase for an unlikely Champions League place when they held Inter Milan to a 0-0 draw at soggy San Siro on Sunday.
The draw pulled Atalanta level on 52 points with AC Milan who began the day in fourth place, the lowest of the Champions League slots. Inter are third with 57.
Atalanta have the better goal difference but stayed fifth in the official Serie A standings as Milan have the better head-to-head record, the two sides having met twice. Roma, a further point behind in sixth, are also in the hunt as are Lazio and Torino with 49 points.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
