Italian champions Napoli’s hopes of playing European football next season were hanging by a thread after they played out a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina in Serie A on Friday.

Napoli took the lead in the eighth minute through defender Amir Rrahmani, who nodded home a corner by Matteo Politano.

Cristiano Biraghi levelled for Fiorentina in the 40th minute from a free kick, before M’Bala Nzola put the hosts in front two minutes later when he fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia responded with another stunning free kick early in the second half to rescue a point for his team.

Eighth-placed Fiorentina, on 54 points and with a game in hand, are five points behind Lazio in seventh.

They can still earn a Europa League spot either by leap-frogging the Rome side or by winning the Europa Conference League final in which they face Greece’s Olympiakos on May 29.

Ninth-placed Napoli, on 52 points, still have a slim chance of making the Europa Conference League playoffs.

-Reuters

Napoli’s defence of the Serie A title has long since ended and they must beat Fiorentina on Friday to have any hope of playing European football next season.

Napoli strolled to the Scudetto last year, clinching the title with five games to spare and finishing 16 points ahead of runners-up Lazio.

This time around it was Inter Milan who wrapped up the league with five games remaining, and Napoli are ninth in the standings, 41 points adrift of the leaders with a Conference League spot their only chance of European competition.

Fiorentina, two points ahead of Napoli with a game in hand, won their previous meeting 3-1 which could prove vital should the sides end the season level on points and the head-to-head record comes into play.

Napoli are without a win in their last five games, while Fiorentina have won three of their last five league matches.

Fiorentina have qualified for this season’s Conference League final, where they face Greek side Olympiakos in Athens, looking to go one better than last year when they lost to West Ham United in the final

The Viola, unbeaten in Europe this season, will look to end the league campaign on a high and take that momentum into the final.

Napoli will probably be without top scorer Victor Osimhen, a serious doubt for the trip to Florence with a muscular problem, while Fiorentina welcome back Andre Belotti who missed Monday’s win over Monza.

Atalanta will bid to overcome the disappointment of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final loss to Juventus when they play Lecce away on Saturday. Atalanta are fifth, the last Champions League spot, with a three-point lead over AS Roma and a game in hand.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta side may well go into this game with one eye on next week’s Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, and victory in that would also guarantee them Champions League football.

Roma can take advantage of an Atalanta slip-up when they host Genoa on Sunday. Lazio are one point behind Roma in seventh and travel to champions Inter.

Bologna moved into third place ahead of Juventus on goal difference last weekend, and the sides meet on Monday, where the hosts will hope Juve continue a poor league run of five successive draws. AC Milan, who have secured second place, are at Torino on Saturday.

There is still much to be decided at the bottom of the table.

Salernitana, the only club definitely relegated, on Monday they host Hellas Verona who are 14th in the standings, two points ahead of Empoli in 17th.

Empoli on Sunday visit Udinese, another side in danger who one point ahead in 15th. Sassuolo are 19th, three points from safety, and must beat 16th-placed Cagliari on Sunday to give themselves any hope of survival.

-Reuters

Inter Milan won their 20th Serie A title on Monday after a 2-1 win at AC Milan gave Simone Inzaghi’s side an unassailable lead in the standings. Inter are therefore the successor to Victor Osimhen-inspired Napoli who won the title last year.

A goal from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram in each half proved sufficient to secure Inter’s victory, with Fikayo Tomori scoring a late goal to reduce the deficit.

The match also witnessed three red cards in stoppage time, with Milan being reduced to nine men as tensions flared, with Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria getting their marching orders along with Inter’s Denzel Dumfries.

Inter, who have lost only once in the league this season, hold a 17-point advantage over second-placed Milan with five matches remaining.

For Inzaghi, this was the first Serie A title of his managerial career and sixth trophy with Inter.

“There are so many protagonists of this success, first and foremost the players, but also the directors and chairman Steven Zhang, as anything we needed during this journey was provided for us,” Inzaghi said to DAZN.

“It’s an incredible sensation, we did something incredible and it’s only right to share it with as many people as possible.”

The San Siro was packed with supporters from both clubs, with Inter fans displaying two stars to symbolise their impending 20th Scudetto, spelling out a message to their rivals: ‘Our destiny, your nightmare.’

HEATED MATCH

The match heated up in the opening minutes as both sides engaged in pushing and shouting following a late challenge on Inter’s Nicolo Barella. However, play resumed a few minutes later without any bookings.

After 18 minutes, the away fans erupted after Benjamin Pavard flicked a corner to a completely unmarked Acerbi, who had little trouble heading in the lead for Inter.

Just before the break Inter keeper Yann Sommer made a superb reflex save on a Calabria effort, while at the other end Milan keeper Mike Maignan blocked Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s shot moments later.

Four minutes after the break, Thuram doubled Inter’s lead by sending a low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom-left corner.

As the minutes ticked closer to the end, fans set off flares in the stands, casting a foggy veil over the pitch.

Milan reignited the match 10 minutes before the time when a save from Sommer rebounded off the post and fell into the path of Fikayo Tomori, who headed it home.

In stoppage time, tempers flared as a scuffle broke out between the players which resulted in Dumfries and Hernandez being shown red cards.

Yet another brawl ensued on the pitch minutes later, culminating in Milan’s Calabria receiving a red card for striking Inter’s Davide Frattesi.

“It was a good game, it’s a pity that it got so tense in the last five minutes, as it had been very fair until then. We played well, could’ve scored another goal in the first half, but we are very happy,” Inzaghi said.

As the referee sounded the final whistle, Inter players and staff began to celebrate the triumph.

Inter fans then moved the party out of the stadium and towards the Piazza Duomo, a well-known celebration spot in Milan, where thousands celebrated with fireworks and cheers, casting shades of blue and black against the backdrop of the Milan Cathedral.

-Reuters