Serie A: Race for two Champions League spots goes to final day

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The race for the final two Champions League spots from Serie A will go to the last day of the season.

Atalanta drew 1-1 at Italian champions Juventus on Sunday to move into third place in the Italian league, leapfrogging Inter Milan after the Nerazzurri lost 4-1 at Napoli.

With one round left, the two teams are level on points but Atalanta are above Inter thanks to a better head-to-head record, which is the tiebreaker in Italy.

The top four from Serie A qualify for next season's Champions League and fifth-place AC Milan are only a point behind Atalanta and Inter.

Action during the Serie A match in which Napoli beat Inter Milan 4-1 at Stadio San Paolo, Naples, May 19, 2019. /VCG Photo

Milan beat already-relegated Frosinone 2-0 in a match which saw Rossoneri goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma save a penalty before goals from Krzysztof Piatek and Suso.

Krzysztof Piatek of AC Milan celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match against Frosinone Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Italy, May 19, 2019. /VCG Photo

Juventus and second-place Napoli have already secured Champions League spots.

In Turin, Josip Ilicic appeared to have given Atalanta a crucial win but Mario Mandzukic leveled 10 minutes from time.

Juventus forward Federico Bernardeschi was sent off in stoppage time for a dangerous tackle on Atalanta's Musa Barrow.

It was the final home match for retiring defender Andrea Barzagli and departing coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Juventus were also presented with their eighth successive league trophy after the match.

Atalanta, who have never played in the Champions League, host Sassuolo in their final league match next Sunday, while Inter welcome Empoli and Milan visit Spal.

Relegation Fight

Players from Empoli and Sampdoria compete during a Serie A match, Italy, May 12, 2019. /VCG Photo

Empoli moved out of the relegation zone with a 4-1 thrashing of Torino.

They swapped places with Genoa, who are now a point behind.

Genoa visit Fiorentina in the final round, with survival at stake for both teams.

Fiorentina are only three points ahead of Genoa after losing 1-0 at Parma – their sixth defeat in their last seven league matches.

Elsewhere, already relegated Chievo Verona managed a 0-0 draw against Sampdoria despite playing more than half the match with 10 men after defender Federico Barba was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Gregoire Defrel.

(Cover: Juventus celebrate winning the Serie A championship in Turin, Italy, May 19, 2019. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AP