Atalanta keep UEFA Champions League qualification alive with 1-1 draw vs Juventus

Massimiliano Allegri's last game in charge of Juventus ended with a 1-1 draw against Atalanta but the team have already clinched the Serie A title.

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Siddharth Vishwanathan
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Atalanta keep UEFA Champions League qualification alive with 1-1 draw vs Juventus

Atalanta ensured Massimiliano Allegri's last game for Juventus would be bittersweet as they held them to a 1-1 draw. (Image credit: Twitter)

Departing Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri bid farewell to the Turin fans in the team's final home game this season on Sunday, a 1-1 stalemate against Atalanta that kept the visitors' hopes of a first-ever Champions League qualification alive. The Juventus fans paid tribute to Allegri, who the club's management have decided will not be their coach next season, despite winning 11 trophies in five years, but missing out on winning the Champions League.

Juventus have already wrapped up their record eighth consecutive title, which was Allegri's fifth. The team were officially presented with this year's Serie A trophy -- the first for Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Former World Cup winner Andrea Barzagli played his final home game after eight years in Turin and received a resounding ovation when he came off after an hour. On the pitch, forward Mario Mandzukic struck ten minutes from time to cancel out Josip Ilicic's 33rd-minute goal for Atalanta.

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The point keeps Atalanta's hopes of a first Champions League campaign alive, which they can seal if they beat Sassuolo in their final game next weekend.

Atalanta moved third ahead of Inter Milan on head-to-head after Luciano Spalletti's side lost 4-1 at Napoli. Juventus and second-placed Napoli are already through to the Champions League next season. AC Milan is just one point behind Inter and Atalanta in fifth after Krzysztof Piatek and Suso struck in a 2-0 win over Frosinone.

Inter will play their final match against Empoli, who are trying to avoid relegation. Polish striker Piatek got back scoring on 57 minutes at the San Siro, with Spanish winger Suso adding a second nine minutes later.

Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a Camillo Ciano penalty before Piatek broke his five-match scoring drought with his 22nd goal of the season. Milan is at least assured of a place in next season's Europa League, along with Roma, who were held to a goalless draw at Sassuolo on Saturday.

The two teams benefited from seventh-placed Torino's shock 4-1 defeat at Empoli, which ended the northerners' European hopes. Lazio, in eighth, is sure of playing in the Europa League group stage thanks to their Coppa Italia victory. Empoli moved out of the relegation zone at the expense of Genoa, who were held 1-1 by Cagliari, and are now 18th ahead of next week's clash with Fiorentina, themselves just three points off the drop zone.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Juventus secured their eighth consecutive Serie A title.
  • Atalanta is aiming to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for the first time.
  • Mario Mandzukic and Josep Ilcic scored for their respective teams.
Cristiano Ronaldo Serie A football UEFA Champions League Juventus Atalanta Massimiliano Allegri