Atalanta Bergamo and Inter Milan have made the leap into the Champions League on the final day of the Italian Serie A match. Atalanta and German defensive player Robin Gosens defended third place in the starting eleven by beating Sassuolo Calcio 3-1 (1-1) and entering the premier class for the first time. Inter finished fourth with a 2-1 (0-0) win over relegated FC Empoli.
AC Milan and AS Rome will therefore have to make do with the Europa League despite their victories, and Roma will even be entering the second qualifying round there. Milan won 3:2 (2:1) at SPAL Ferrara, Roma won the last game of club icon Daniele De Rossi 2:1 (1:0) against promoted Parma Calcio, but would have needed help as well. World champion De Rossi (35) said goodbye after 18 years, his future is open.
Champion Juventus Turin and runner-up SSC Naples had already bought the ticket for the premier class.
Meanwhile, Empoli slipped to a relegation spot due to the defeat at Inter. FC Genoa (0:0 at AC Florence) with former U20 international Koray Günter and Udinese Calcio (2:1 in Cagliari) have been saved. Frosinone Calcio and Chievo Verona had already been determined as relegates.
The old and new champions of Juventus Turin, meanwhile, have suffered their fourth defeat of the season to say goodbye to coach Massimiliano Allegri. The record champion lost the meaningless encounter with Sampdoria Genoa by late goals of Gregoire Defrel (84th) and Gianluca Caprari (90.+1) with 0:2 (0:0).
Juve ends the season with 90 points, five less than last season. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored 21 goals in his first Juve year, five fewer than Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella. Ronaldo was not in the squad at all at the final of the season in Genoa and Emre Can was replaced in the 57th minute.
For Allegri it was the last compulsory game with Juve after five years. Speculation about a commitment from start coach Pep Guardiola was rejected by the club on Sunday. “The world is a crazy. We had no contact whatsoever with Guardiola and no thought in this direction,” said sports director Fabio Paratici at DAZN. Favorites on the job are Chelsea team manager Maurizio Sarri and Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi.
Juventus had already perfected the eighth title in a row on 20 April. In the Champions League, however, despite Ronaldo’s spectacular commitment, the end had already come in the quarter-finals against Ajax Amsterdam.
