Juventus relinquished their coveted spot within Serie A’s Champions League qualification places on Wednesday evening after suffering a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Parma.
The match was one of four rescheduled from Monday following the passing of Pope Francis, and Mateo Pellegrino’s powerful header on the stroke of halftime proved the decisive blow.
The victory is a significant one for Parma in their battle to remain in the top flight, providing a crucial three points and their first win in two months, breaking a streak of six consecutive draws.
Conversely, the loss marks Igor Tudor’s first defeat since taking the helm at Juventus and severely dents their Champions League aspirations.
Juventus now sit fifth in the league standings, trailing Bologna by a single point. Bologna had further tightened their grip on a top-four position with a victory over Inter Milan on Sunday.
Adding to Juventus’ woes, they will be without their key striker, Dusan Vlahovic, for their upcoming match against Monza on Sunday. The Serbian international was substituted at halftime against Parma, reportedly due to a thigh injury.
Parma’s triumph sent ripples of optimism through their camp, lifting them six points clear of the relegation zone. Meanwhile, the result was met with delight in Rome, as Lazio capitalized on Juventus’ stumble with a comfortable 2-0 away win against Genoa.
Lazio’s victory saw them draw level on 59 points with the “Old Lady.” Their task was made somewhat easier after Genoa’s Sebastian Otoa received a red card just 21 minutes into his Serie A debut.
Valentin Castellanos then put Lazio ahead with a stunning volley 11 minutes later, and Boulaye Dia sealed the points midway through the second half, latching onto a fine pass from substitute Nicolo Ravella.
Despite Reda Belahyane receiving a late red card for Lazio, just minutes after replacing Ravella, it had no impact on the final outcome.
The reshuffled fixtures have intensified the race for the final Champions League spots. Fiorentina, currently in eighth place, are also firmly in the mix after coming from behind to secure a 2-1 victory away at Cagliari.
They are now one of four teams – alongside Juventus, Lazio, and Roma – within a tight four-point range of fourth-placed Bologna, setting up a thrilling conclusion to the Serie A season.
