Napoli win refreshes title hopes as Atalanta thrash Juventus

ROME: Napoli breathed fresh life into their Serie A title hopes on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina that ended a five-match winless run, while Atalanta routed Juventus 4-0 to stay in the hunt.

Romelu Lukaku gave Napoli the lead on 26 minutes and Giacomo Raspadori doubled that on the hour before Albert Gudmundsson pulled a goal back for Fiorentina. Antonio Conte´s Napoli climbed back to within a point of leaders Inter Milan, who came from two goals down to beat bottom side Monza 3-2 on Saturday.

“We deserved the victory,” said Conte. “We could have been a bit more efficient with our chances and managed the final part of the game with less anxiety because let´s not forget that we dropped many points around the 90th minute in the last five games.”

Napoli, who won the title two years ago, were top at the end of January but have been playing catch-up with Inter after picking up just four points in five matches before beating Fiorentina at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Atalanta hammered Juventus 4-0 in Turin to stay within three points of Inter and snap the hosts´ five-game winning streak. It was just a second defeat of the season for Thiago Motta´s side.

Mateo Retegui notched his league-leading 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot after a handball in the first half and Marten de Roon added a second right after the break for Atalanta.

Davide Zappacosta steered in a third for Gian Piero Gasperini´s rampant side before Ademola Lookman´s deflected strike completed a thumping victory. “It was an unimaginable result for many, but it was the perfect performance from us,” Gasperini told DAZN, suggesting an unlikely tilt at the Scudetto for the traditionally small, provincial club was not beyond them.

“People need to dream. We must never stop them dreaming. We may say it´s impossible, but if you believe enough, things can become possible.” Fourth-placed Juventus are now nine points adrift of Inter and could be overtaken by Lazio, who host Udinese on Monday.

Motta said the defeat signalled the end of any outside title chances for his team. “We are sad, we are disappointed, but at the same time this talk of the Scudetto that you dragged us into will no longer be talked about,” he said.

Roma continued their resurgence under Claudio Ranieri as Matias Soule´s goal after only 22 seconds was enough to secure a 1-0 win at Empoli for their fifth successive league victory. The 73-year-old Ranieri has brought stability to a club that sacked Daniele De Rossi in September and then moved on from his successor Ivan Juric less than two months later.

Roma are unbeaten in 12 games in Serie A since mid-December, rising from just above the relegation places into contention for Europe next season. They are four points behind Bologna in sixth, which offers a spot in the UEFA Conference League.