SERIE A
Lookman’s double renews title hopes for Atalanta
Third-placed Atalanta cruised to a 5-0 win at lowly Empoli with Ademola Lookman scoring a brilliant double with a goal in each half on Sunday to reignite their bid for the Serie A title.
A month ago the battle for the Scudetto looked like becoming a two-horse race between Napoli and Inter Milan but indifferent results for both sides have allowed Atalanta to narrow the gap.
Atalanta now have 54 points, three behind leaders Inter and two off Napoli with 12 rounds of matches remaining.
With Napoli suffering a surprise 2-1 loss at Como earlier on Sunday and Inter losing twice in four matches, Atalanta had the chance to keep the pressure on and dominated from the start.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 27th minute with an own goal after Davide Zappacosta delivered a cross from the edge of the box which deflected off Empoli striker Emmanuel Gyasi and looped into the corner of the net.
Atalanta then began to dominate the match with Mateo Retegui doubling the lead six minutes later before Lookman made it 3-0 in the 43rd when he latched onto a through ball, deftly rounded goalkeeper Marco Silvestri and put the ball into the empty net.
Ten minutes after the break Lookman got his second, latching onto a through ball from Marten de Roon, evading the offside trap and firing an angled shot past the keeper after a step-over. Zappacosta completed the rout in the 74th minute.
Zappacosta was hesitant to talk about the title race.
“There’s no point right now thinking of long-term objectives. We have to take it one game at a time,” he told DAZN.
“A victory that gives us fuel and morale after a difficult last week,” he added, referring to being knocked out of the Champions League with a 3-1 defeat by Club Brugge on Tuesday.
LOOKMAN RESPONDS
Lookman’s performance showed the right response following his recent spat with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who said the Nigeria striker was one of the worst penalty takers he had ever seen after he missed one against Brugge.
Gasperini later downplayed the comment saying he never intended to offend the 27-year-old, who also scored against the Belgian side after coming on at halftime.
Against Empoli, Lookman caused chaos for the home defence, playing a pivotal role in the build-up to Retegui’s goal, and was a stand-out performer in Atalanta’s dominant victory.
Sky Sport Italia asked if he had forgotten Gasperini’s criticism, but Lookman was reluctant to comment.
After a shrug and a glance around, he replied, “Finished?” before shifting the discussion to Atalanta’s display.
“The team won 5-0 today, we put in a good performance, everyone was at a high level and we showed quality,” he said.
The result leaves Empoli third-bottom in the standings on 21 points, two points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
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Wasteful AC Milan were held to a 0-0 draw by Genoa in Serie A at the San Siro on Sunday, a result that dampened the festivities on the club’s 125th anniversary.
Milan celebrated the club’s foundation with greats such as former strikers Marco van Basten and Filippo Inzaghi, who entered the pitch holding their commemorative plates after being inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame before the game.
However, Paulo Fonseca’s side were booed at the end of the match after their performance failed to match the occasion.
Wearing new retro kits created for the anniversary, Milan had the upper hand from the start but created mostly half-chances in the opening period.
The hosts were fortunate to escape without conceding a penalty when teenage forward Mattia Liberali’s tackle on Genoa midfielder Fabio Miretti went unpunished.
Milan continued to create opportunities after the interval but without being able to break the deadlock.
Halftime substitute Alvaro Morata dribbled through the Genoa defence before firing over in the 76th minute and then hit the bar three minutes later to the dismay of the fans.
The home side had 22 goal attempts but only four on target.
Milan, who were celebrating the anniversary of their founding on Dec. 16 1899, remain eighth in the standings on 23 points from 15 games, eight points adrift of the top four.
After extending their Champions League winning streak to four games with a late 2-1 home victory over Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday, Milan are now winless in four of their last five Serie A games.
Patrick Vieira’s Genoa, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run to six matches and sit 13th with 16 points, two points above the relegation zone.
Bologna beat fourth-placed visitors Fiorentina 1-0 earlier on Sunday, ending Viola’s winning streak of eight league games, while struggling AS Roma conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 2-0 at lowly Como.
Roma are 12th on 16 points from 16 games, which is the club’s worst record in the three-points-for-a-win era at this stage of a campaign.
-Reuters
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Italian club Juventus and Paul Pogba announced on Friday that they have mutually agreed to terminate the midfielder’s contract on Nov. 30.
The 31-year-old had a deal with the Serie A club until June 2026 but is banned from playing until March next year after testing positive for DHEA, which boosts testosterone levels, in September 2023.
“The club wishes Paul all the best for his professional future,” Juventus said in a statement.
The former France international had his ban reduced from four years to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month and thanked the Serie A club and the fans for their support.
“My time at Juventus has come to an end. It has been a privilege to wear the Bianconeri shirt and share so many special moments together. I will cherish the memories we have made,” the striker said in a statement. “I look forward to the next chapter of my career and to getting back on the pitch with my next club.”
-Reuters
Forward Ademola Lookman scored twice in the first half to inspire Atalanta to an emphatic 3-0 win at Serie A leaders Napoli on Sunday as the visitors moved second in the standings.
Lookman opened the scoring after 10 minutes, volleying home from close range after a headed cross from Charles De Ketelaere.
The Nigerian doubled the lead just after the half-hour mark with a long-range strike from another De Ketelaere pass, before substitute Mateo Retegui added the third in stoppage time to end Napoli’s 100% home league record this season.
Europa League champions Atalanta, provisionally second on 22 points, have cut the gap to their opponents at the top to three points. They are one point above third-placed Inter Milan, with a game in hand, and Juventus in fourth.
Napoli, who clinched a 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday, were unbeaten in their last 10 games across all competitions, winning their previous five Serie A fixtures.
Striker Romelu Lukaku, who opened the scoring at Milan, had another chance for an early goal but Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi saved his effort.
Scott McTominay went close to equalising for the hosts one minute after Lookman put Atalanta in front, but the Scotland midfielder struck the post.
Lookman increased Atalanta’s lead in the 31st minute, receiving a pass from De Ketelaere and firing home from distance.
He is now the Serie A player directly involved in the most goals in 2024 in all competitions with 16 goals and 11 assists.
Atalanta remained dangerous after the break, with Davide Zappacosta shooting just wide and defender Sead Kolasinac having his header from point-blank range disallowed for offside.
Lookman went close to finding the net again 15 minutes from time before Retegui wrapped up the points with a first-time shot from around the penalty spot.
Atalanta host eighth-placed Udinese on Nov. 10 after they travel to VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Napoli next visit champions Inter Milan.
-Reuters
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