Updated24 avril 2022, 23:14
Naples lost 3-2 at Empoli following having nevertheless led 2-0 until the 80th minute during the 34th day of Serie A. The title is still a little further away for the Neapolitans. AC Milan won in added time in Rome once morest Lazio (2-1).
The scudetto moves away for Lorenzo Insigne and his Napoli side.
AFP
Naples (3rd) sees its dreams of scudetto slipping away more and more following being scuttled in Empoli, losing 3-2 following having nevertheless led 2-0 until the 80th minute, Sunday during the 34th day of Series A.
The Neapolitan defense completely sank in the last ten minutes. The full-back Kevin Malcuit first lost a ball which allowed Empoli to come back to 2-1 by Liam Henderson (80th) then his goalkeeper Alex Meret was countered just in front of his own line by Andrea Pinamonti on the 2-2 (83rd).
Improbable reversal of situation
The same Pinamonti, euphoric, then threw himself (88th) to conclude an improbable turnaround which left Napoli five points behind Inter Milan (1st) and four from AC Milan (2nd), with a match more to play for the two Milan teams.
Until this nightmarish end to the match, Naples had however been the most effective in taking off thanks to Dries Mertens (44th) and Lorenzo Insigne (53rd). But Luciano Spalletti was betrayed this time by his defense, the strong point of the team this season, in the absence of the “rock” Kalidou Koulibaly, suspended.
Milan regains the lead
AC Milan clings to its seat as leaders of Serie A, maintaining a two-point lead over Inter Milan (2nd) thanks to a victory snatched in added time in Rome once morest Lazio (2-1 ), Sunday evening during the 34th day. Surprised from the start by Ciro Immobile (4th), the Rossoneri equalized at the start of the second period thanks to Olivier Giroud (50th).
Their outrageous domination at the end of the match, with the return to the field of Zlatan Ibrahimovic entered for the last 25 minutes, found its reward in the dying seconds thanks to a goal snatched by Sandro Tonali (90 + 2nd).
Milan is two points ahead of Inter, winner of AS Roma on Saturday (3-1), and seven over Naples, which is now almost out of the race for the scudetto following its defeat at Empoli (2-3). But the Nerazzurri can regain the lead on Wednesday if they win their late game in Bologna.
FC Barcelona lost once more 1-0 on Sunday at Camp Nou once morest Rayo Vallecano in a late match of the 21st day of La Liga, almost offering the title to Real Madrid, who are only one point short of being crowned champion of Spain.
The Catalans gave in in the 7th minute on a goal from Alvaro Garcia, who deceived Marc-André Ter Stegen from the right following getting rid of the marking of Sergino Dest, and suffered their third defeat at home in ten days, following the elimination in the Europa League conceded once morest Eintracht Frankfurt (3-2) and the 1-0 loss once morest Cadiz in La Liga.