How Juventus Left Serie A Race For Champions League Places Wide Open

After being held to a 1-1 draw by Bologna, Juventus have left the race for UEFA Champions League Places in Serie A wide open as four teams finished the weekend within one point of each other.

While Napoli and Inter are battling for the Scudetto, Atalanta trail them in third place but have a healthy five point lead over the trailing pack. Juve remain fourth but, like AS Roma and Lazio below them have 63 points, with sixth-placed Bologna now on 62 points with just three games remaining.

The trip to Bologna had been a crucial opportunity for the Bianconeri to separate themselves from that group, but a heavy injury list severely weakened the options available to Igor Tudor.

Juventus name makeshift defence

Arek Milik, Dusan Vlahovic and Teun Koopmeiners were among that number, while Kenan Yildiz was suspended, yet the real issues were in defence. Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Federico Gatti and Lloyd Kelly were all out, forcing Nicoló Savona into a role as a makeshift central defender.

Yet Juve dominated the early exchanges and took the lead after just nine minutes. Andrea Cambiaso cut in from the right and moved across the field, eventually rolling the ball out to Khephren Thuram.

The midfielder took a touch, then lashed a left footed effort from outside the area which bounced just in front of Lukasz Skorupski, the goalkeeper misjudging his dive and looking on as it found the back of the net.

Nico Gonzalez should’ve done better when Cambiaso put him through on goal, and it was then that Bologna began to come back into the tie. Thijs Dallinga wasted a great chance before Riccardo Orsolini drew a great save from Michele Di Gregorio and Weston McKennie got away with a clumsy challenge on Remo Freuler.

Juventus lose Cambiaso to injury

Gonzalez then had a goal ruled out for offside, Kolo Muani wasted a great chance and then the flag ruled out yet another effort from the hugely effective Cambiaso who was consistently causing Bologna problems.

Yet after Juventus had squandered countless chances to double their lead, they were pegged back, Remo Freuler’s effort deflecting off Renato Veiga to level the scores at 1-1.

Things went from bad to worse for Juve as Cambiaso – who has recently been linked with a high profile move to Liverpool as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold – limped off with an injury.

Juventus face fight for Champions League berths

All of that means the battle for the final Champions League qualification spot will go down to the wire, and Juve boss Igor Tudor says his side will be ready for a crucial encounter with sixth-placed Lazio.

“There are three games left and we are still fourth, albeit level on points. We go to Lazio with confidence, then there’s Udinese and Venezia,” the Coach told DAZN. “I said before kick-off that whatever the result, nothing will be decided tonight. I’ m saying the same against Lazio, one game cannot decide everything when there are so many teams crammed together in a few points.

“At the end of the day, the fixtures that seem easier on paper might be the most difficult. Everyone is challenging for something at this stage of the season, especially the last against Venezia.”