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SERIE A: ALVARO MORATA BRACE HELP JUVENTUS IN COME BACK WIN AGAINST LAZIO

Alvaro Morata scored twice and set up another as Juventus warmed up for next week’s Champions League game against Porto with a 3-1 comeback win over Lazio on Saturday to close the gap on the Milan teams in Serie A.

Cristiano Ronaldo started on the bench before next week’s key last 16, second leg game against the Portuguese in Turin with Juventus trailing 2-1.

Champions Juventus fell behind to an early Joaquin Correa goal following a Dejan Kulusevski passing error midfield.

But Morata set up Adrien Rabiot to pull the hosts level before the break with the Spaniard scoring twice in a three-minute spell before the hour mark.

Andrea Pirlo’s side are third, seven points behind leaders Inter who host Atalanta on Monday, and one point adrift of AC Milan who play Hellas Verona on Sunday.

“Today we started the game 20 minutes late but it was normal because many were out of position and many returned (from injury),” said Pirlo.

“But there was a great reaction, we didn’t get down and despite the many absences we played an excellent match.

“For us it was a final, an important match for the standings and we’re happy.”

Paulo Dybala remains out injured along with defender Giorgio Chiellini and midfielder Matthijs de Ligt, while Rodrigo Bentancur positive for coronavirus .

But Juan Cuadrado started after missing three league games with Arthur and Leonardo Bonucci also returning off the bench in the second half.

Morata started up front alongside Kulusevski, with Ciro Immobile leading the Lazio attack alongside Correa.

And the Argentine pounced after quarter of an hour after Kulusevski gave the ball away, shaking off Merih Demiral to beat Wojciech Szczęsny in the Juventus goal.

Szczesny denied Luis Alberto a second eight minutes later.

Rabiot pulled a goal back six minutes before the break, picking up a Morata through ball to fire in a powerful left footed angled drive over Pepe Reina.

Both sides had chances after the break with Reina denying Federico Chiesa, Szczesny clearing from Correa and a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic header rattling the bar.

Chiesa set up Morata for the second after 57 minutes with the Spaniard completing a brace from the penalty spot three minutes later after Milinkovic-Savic brought down Aaron Ramsey in the box.

Morata made way for Ronaldo for the last 20 minutes with Arthur and Weston McKennie also coming off the bench in place of Ramsey and Cuadrado with Bonucci coming on for the final eight minutes.

Lazio’s top striker Immobile threatened but was unable to add to his 14 goals this campaign, drawing a blank for a fourth straight game as the Romans fell to their third defeat in four matches.

“It’s a defeat that hurts,” said Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi whose side’s hopes of Champions League football next season took a knock as they sit seventh, six points adrift of Atalanta in fourth place.

“We compromised the game alone, giving away an avoidable penalty. We made some mistakes and at Juventus, with some mistakes you don’t win.”

Sassuolo’s Europa League hopes further dwindled with a 2-0 loss at midtable rivals Udinese stretching their winless run to three games.

Spanish forward Fernando Llorente scored his first goal for Udinese just before the break with Argentine Roberto Pereyra firing in a second deep into injury time.

Sassuolo, in ninth, have won just two of 11 league games played since after Christmas. Udinese are four points behind in 10th place.

Spezia snatched a 1-1 draw at home against Benevento, in a match between promoted sides vying to stay in the top flight next season.

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MILAN EDGE AS ROMA IN THRILLER TO KEEP SERIE A TITLE RACE ALIVE

AC Milan returned to form with an enthralling 2-1 victory away to AS Roma on Sunday that a restored a four-point gap to Serie A leaders Inter Milan.

The visitors hit the bar and had two goals disallowed before Franck Kessie scored from the penalty spot to give them a deserved halftime lead.

Roma, who also had a goal chalked off in the first half, quickly responded after the break when midfielder Jordan Veretout curled in his 10th league goal of the season.

But a superb turn and finish from Ante Rebic put the visitors back in front after 58 minutes and they held on despite late pressure from the hosts.

The victory ends a four-match winless run in all competitions for Stefano Pioli’s side, whose hopes of a first Serie A title in 10 years suffered a blow following back-to-back league defeats to Spezia and Inter.

Milan remain second on 52 points, four behind Inter and six ahead of Juventus in third, while Roma remain fifth with 44 points

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SERIE A: LUKAKU STRIKES EARLY TO HELP INTER THRASH GENOA 3-0.

Inter Milan moved seven points clear at the top of Serie A on Sunday as Romelu Lukaku scored after 32 seconds and bagged an assist in a 3-0 win over Genoa.

The striker drove through the heart of the visiting defence and fired in his 18th league goal of the season to register his club’s second fastest Serie A strike since Opta started taking records in 2004.

Lukaku teed up Matteo Darmian for Inter’s second after 69 minutes and was again involved for their third, when his shot was saved but headed in on the rebound by substitute Alexis Sanchez.

“We’re top of the table and that’s a good feeling for us,” Lukaku told news men. “We mustn’t give up, last year we lost some of these games but this year we’re growing.

“These matches are a chance for us to send a message to the other teams, but the season is long.”

Inter coach Antonio Conte added that the club’s early Champions League exit has helped their bid to end an 11-year wait to win Serie A.

“It’s inevitable that we have to have the ambition to win, that is clear due to the history of the club,” he said. “This season I think the disappointment of going out of the Champions League in an undeserved way made us look inside ourselves and understand that we needed to raise the level of everything to try and be more competitive.

“The work is paying off and paid off last year too.

“We are a team that is growing on a collective and individual level, in when to be aggressive off the ball and when to hold the ball.

“We are maturing a lot, but we know well that there are 14 games to go.”

The result leaves league leaders Inter seven points ahead of second-placed AC Milan, who play Roma later on Sunday, and 10 points clear of Juventus in third.

Genoa, whose seven-match unbeaten league run came to an end, are 13th with 26 points.

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SERIE A: CRISTIANO RONALDO’S BRACE KEEPS JUVENTUS TITLE HOPES ALIVE AGAINST CROTONE

Cristiano Ronaldo kept Juventus within sight of the Serie A summit on Monday with a headed brace which helped the champions to a 3-0 win over bottom club Crotone. Portugal forward Ronaldo struck twice late in the first half to break the resistance of lowly Crotone and keep Juve eight points behind league leaders Inter Milan.

Weston McKennie made sure of the points midway through the second half, lashing home when the ball broke to him after a corner.

Andrea Pirlo’s side climb to third with the win thanks also to Roma, who are a point back in fourth, only managing a goalless draw at Benevento on Sunday night.

They are also four points behind second-placed AC Milan who have lost three of their last five league matches, including Sunday’s 3-0 derby thumping at the hands of Inter.

Juve, chasing their 10th straight league title, have a game in hand on both Milan clubs and play Inter in the penultimate round of league games in Turin.

Crotone meanwhile remain rooted to the bottom of the division thanks to their fifth defeat on the bounce

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LUKAKU, MARTINEZ ON TARGET AS INTER THRASH AC MILAN IN SAN SIRO DERBY

Two goals from Lautaro Martinez and one from Romelu Lukaku earned Inter Milan a 3-0 win over AC Milan in Sunday’s derby clash at the San Siro, sending Antonio Conte’s side four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings.

Inter got off to the perfect start as Lukaku crossed for strike partner Martinez to head home after just five minutes to give his side the lead.

Three stunning saves at the start of the second half from Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic kept his side in front as Milan came out with added impetus in the second half.

Those stops proved crucial as Martinez finished a fine, flowing Inter move to score his 13th Serie A goal of the season to give his side some breathing space in the 57th minute

Not to be outdone, Lukaku made sure of a fourth league win in a row for Inter with a well-taken goal in the 66th minute, as the league leaders moved onto 53 points, four clear of Milan.

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SERIE A: LUKAKU STARS IN INTER WIN OVER LAZIO,ROMA EDGE UDINESE

Romelu Lukaku scored twice to reach 300 career goals as Inter Milan moved above AC Milan to the top of Serie A with an impressive 3-1 home win over Lazio on Sunday. Lukaku’s brace came in the first half as Inter

Milan made the most of their city rivals’ surprising 2-0 loss at Spezia on Saturday. Inter, bidding for a first Scudetto since winning the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010, are now one point clear of AC Milan, with Roma six points further back in third. The stage is set for a mouthwatering Milan derby at the San Siro next Sunday.

“He (Lukaku) came back firing on all cylinders tonight and we need this Romelu. We need this determination and passion from everyone in the team,” Inter coach Antonio Conte said.

“I am happy for the lads, inevitably this must be a starting point for us and not the finish line. We know the next game is the derby with Milan, going into it above them is obviously much better.

“It’s going to be a fascinating game between two teams who have strong ambitions.”

Conte apologised on Saturday for appearing to show the finger to his former club’s directors at half-time of the controversial Italian Cup match at Juventus on Tuesday.

At the San Siro, Lukaku opened the scoring on 22 minutes from the penalty spot after Wesley Hoedt fouled Lautaro Martinez.

The Belgium forward then moved level with Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the Serie A goalscoring charts just before the break, as he hit a loose ball first time on the half-volley for his 16th league goal of the campaign.

The deficit was halved just after the hour mark as Gonzalo Escalante’s free-kick was deflected to leave Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic flat-footed.

But Inter’s return to the summit was secured in the 64th minute as Lukaku turned the provider for Martinez.

A move which started at the edge of the home box and continued with Lukaku’s powerful run from the halfway line ended with Martinez side-footing in his 11th effort of the season.

Earlier, French midfielder Jordan Veretout also struck twice as Roma beat Udinese 3-0 to climb back to third.

Atalanta moved up to seventh, level on points with fifth-placed Napoli, after Luis Muriel scored in the 90th minute to earn a 1-0 victory at Cagliari.

One week after losing to Juve, Roma took advantage of the champions’ loss to Napoli

Roma continued their strong form at the Stadio Olimpico even without Edin Dzeko, who returned from his brief exile when he came on for the last 21 minutes. They are the only team in Serie A still unbeaten at home this season.

Veretout put Roma ahead after five minutes, racing forward to meet a cross from Gianluca Mancini with a powerful header.

After visiting goalkeeper Juan Musso upended Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the 25th minute, Veretout converted the penalty.

It was Veretout’s fourth succesful penalty and ninth league goal of the season.

With 15 league goals (and 17 in all competitions) since his arrival in Rome from Fiorentina in 2019, the former Aston Villa and Nantes player has overtaken Vincent Candela as Roma’s top-scoring French player.

Veretout said he had been told to get into the opposing penalty area more often by coach Paulo Fonseca.

“I have challenged him on the number of goals he scores,” said Fonseca. “I told him that he had to score more than ten.”

In Cagliari, Atalanta were frustrated for 90 minutes by the relegation-haunted hosts before the game sprung to life in the dying seconds.

Atalanta looked heavy legged four days after beating Napoli in the Italian Cup semi-finals but their bench made the difference. Muriel, who came on in the 68th minute, beat two defenders on the edge of the box before drilling home the winner in the 90th minute.

“It was a very difficult match from the start, I’m happy to have scored. Winning like that means a lot,” said Muriel.

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RONALDO ON TARGET AS JUVE BEAT ROMA TO GO THIRD

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 23rd goal of the season and his third this week as clinical Juventus leapfrogged Roma into third with victory over Paulo Fonseca’s side, Eurosport reports.

A day removed from celebrating his 36th birthday, the Portuguese continues to belie his age with another supreme performance. He opened the scoring to give Juve the lead in the 13th-minute with a precision left-footed strike from the edge of the box, and a short while later was denied a first-half brace by the crossbar.

Roma enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the opening 45 minutes, and although Juve had to absorb a lot of pressure, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny didn’t have a save to make.

It was more of the same from the visitors after the restart, although the introduction of out-of-favour striker Edin Dzeko gave Roma more impetus, without reward.

And with 20 minutes remaining, Juventus sealed the points. Substitute Dejan Kulusevski raced down the right and rolled a ball across the face of goal, searching for Ronaldo but inadvertently bundled over the line by defender Roger Ibanez for an unfortunate own-goal.

Juventus, clicking into gear as the business end of the season approaches, climb above Roma into third, closing the gap on leaders Inter to five points having played a game less.

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IBRAHIMOVIC’S DOUBLE HELP AC MILAN EDGE CAGLIARI, SENDS MILAN BACK TO TOP OF TABLE.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice on his first start in two months as AC Milan beat Cagliari 2-0 on Monday to pull ahead of city rivals Inter on top of the Serie A table.

Ibrahimovic, 39, got the first from the penalty spot after seven minutes, adding a second just after the break in Sardinia.

Milan, targeting their first league title since 2011 when Ibrahimovic last played in the team, pull three points ahead of Inter who beat champions Juventus 2-0 in the San Siro on Sunday.

“This victory is a sign above all to ourselves more than Inter,” said coach Stefano Pioli.

We all want to bring Milan back to the top. The team will do everything from here to the end.

“Now we have an important game against Atalanta (Saturday), we focus on that, then in March and April we will see where we are.”

Ibrahimovic proved he has returned to his best after injury, with the club set to sign former Juventus and Bayern Munich forward Mario Mandzukic to help their title push.

“Ibra will take care of keeping him (Mandzukic) at bay,” joked Pioli.

The Swede brought his tally to 12 goals in eight games with five doubles, including a brace on 22 November against Napoli, when he picked up the thigh injury which sidelined him.

Milan shook of the absences of defender Theo Hernandez and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu who tested positive for coronavirus .

The visitors quickly took control of the game after Cagliari defender Charalampos Lykogiannis fouled Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic decided to take the penalty ahead of regular spot kicker Franck Kessie after the Swede had missed twice from the spot twice before his injury.

Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno cleared a long-range Davide Calabria effort after 24 minutes with the Italy defender hitting the post 10 minutes later.

Back after the break Ibrahimovic connected with Calabria’s long-range effort finishing off with the goal confirmed after a VAR review.

Milan held their advantage despite playing the final quarter of an hour a man down after Alexis Saelemaekers was sent off for two bookings, ten minutes after coming off the bench.

Cagliari, just above the relegation zone in 17th position, fall to their fifth consecutive defeat on an 11-match winless run stretching back to November 7.

Milan next play sixth-placed Atalanta to keep their push for a 19th ‘Scudetto’ and return to Champions League football for the first time since the 2013-2014 season on track.

Pioli welcomed the arrival of 34-year-old Mandzukic as “one more weapon”.

“I’m happy, the more strong players we have the better,” said Pioli.

“I talked to him, he’s motivated. Maybe it will take some time for him to get in shape because he hasn’t played for a while, but he’s a winner.”

Ibrahimovic added: “I’m happy, we’ll now be two to scare the opponents.

“We’re doing well, almost halfway through the championship.

“Now the most difficult matches are starting, It’ll be a tough programme, but with Mandzukic and (Soualiho) Meite and I don’t know if others arrive we’ll have more players available for the coach to rotate.”

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NAPOLI THRASH FIORENTINA TO GO THIRD ON SERIE A TABLE.

Lorenzo Insigne scored twice and set up another as Napoli thumped Fiorentina 6-0 to move third ahead of Roma who lost 3-0 to local rivals Lazio on Friday.

Insigne got the first goal in the fifth minute at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium as Gennaro Gattuso’s side went four goals up in the first half.

Fiorentina missed chances to equalise with Napoli keeper David Ospina denying Franck Ribery before Diego Demme, Hirving Lozano and Piotr Zielinski notched three goals for the hosts in the last nine minutes before the break.

Napoli were awarded a penalty after Gaetano Castrovilli fouled Tiemoue Bakayoko. Insigne converted from the spot for his ninth goal this season.

Substitute Matteo Politano completed the rout with a minute to go.

“It looked easy but it wasn’t,” said Gattuso as Napoli moved level on points with Roma.

Atalanta missed the chance to move third, dropping points before next week’s trip to AC Milan with a goalless draw against lowly Genoa.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side had won their first three matches of the year with a total of 12 goals scored.

Hans Hateboer rattled the post for Atalanta after 65 minutes in the best chance for the hosts who are sixth, eight points behind Milan. Genoa are 16th position, two points above the relegation zone.

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INTER MILAN SHOCK JUVENTUS WITH WIN TO JOIN LEADERS AC MILAN.

Inter Milan shocked champions Juventus 2-0 to move level on points with Serie A leaders AC Milan on Sunday, boosting their hopes of a first league title since 2010.

Arturo Vidal got his head to a Nicolo Barella cross in the 12th minute for his first league goal for Inter Milan against his former club.

Barella added the second seven minutes after the break as Inter claimed a first victory over Juventus since September 2016, ending a series of seven matches without a win.

“It was a bad defeat, we didn’t expect it, we couldn’t have put in a worse performance than this,” said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo after his second league defeat this season.

Our attitude was wrong, right from the start.

“We were too passive, fearful, we only thought about the defensive phase.”

Inter are equal on 40 points with local rivals Milan, who travel to Cagliari on Monday, with Juventus seven points behind the top two in fifth.

“To win against a team like Juve you have to touch perfection,” said Inter coach Antonio Conte after his first win in four meetings against the club he led to the first three of their current run of nine consecutive league titles.

“I’m happy for the lads because these are games that give you self-esteem and make you understand that we’re on the right path.

“I’ve seen a credible Inter, and it is the greatest satisfaction after a year and a half of work”.

Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have broken through for the away side after 11 minutes but Federico Chiesa was ruled offside in the build up.

And Chilean Vidal made no mistake for last season’s Serie A runners-up two minutes later off Barella’s perfect cross.

“We’ve shown that we’re up to fighting for the Scudetto,” warned Vidal, who won four league titles in as many years with Juventus.

Romelu Lukaku then forced a save from Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny on 24 minutes, with Lautaro Martinez spurning the chance to score on the rebound.

Omnipresent midfielder Barella created another chance for Lukaku which Szczesny cleared, and the Polish keeper also denied Barella before punching the ball off Lukaku’s head at full stretch.

A superb Alessandro Bastoni through ball to Barella paid off in the 52nd minute, with the pacy Italy midfielder shaking off Gianluca Frabotta and Giorgio Chiellini to blast home the second.

Pirlo made a triple change just before the hour with Weston McKennie, Federico Bernardeschi and Dejan Kulusevski coming off the bench.

But Inter ‘keeper Samir Handanovic was rarely threatened, clearing a McKennie header on 61 minutes, and a Chiesa effort three minutes from time.

“It’s a slip-up, but our ambition remains the same, there is still a long way to go,” warned Pirlo, whose side next meet Napoli in Wednesday’s Italian Super Cup.