Luis Muriel came off the bench to score the only goal as Atalanta beat Bologna 1-0 in a fiery Serie A clash on Tuesday to move back second behind leaders Juventus.

Muriel struck just after an hour as Atalanta extended their unbeaten run to 15 games to move six points behind Juventus, and two ahead of third-placed Inter Milan.

Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned back the clock with a double as AC Milan beat 10-man 2-1 Sassuolo to move fifth ahead of Roma and Napoli and into the Europa League berths.

Atalanta had won six successive games since the league resumed after the coronavirus lockdown before drawing 2-2 with Juventus, and were held 1-1 at Verona last time out. 

The Bergamo side have 74 points this season with three games to play, overtaking their previous best haul of 72 during the 2016-17 season.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini was banished from the sidelines after a spat with counterpart Sinisa Mihajlovic before the break, with the Bologna boss receiving a yellow card. 

It was the second red card in recent weeks for Gasperini who has been showing signs of frayed nerves before his side meet Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last eight next month. 

"I didn't deserve to be expelled," fumed Gasperini afterwards. "But let's talk about the match. 

"We're looking for consistency on the pitch, then we'll have 12 days later to choose what kind of work to do to prepare for the Champions League."

Bologna, in tenth, battled after their 5-1 defeat against AC Milan last time out with Musa Barrow missing a double chance against his parent side.

Muriel came off the bench after the break and picked up a cross from fellow Colombian Duvan Zapata to score his 18th goal this season and 11th off the bench.

Juventus can seal the title with a win over 16th-placed Udinese, but it depends on Inter Milan, who are eight points behind the champions, failing to beat Fiorentina at the San Siro on Wednesday.

- Milan reward Pioli -

Outside the Champions League places, Stefano Pioli's Milan extended their unbeaten run since the return with the seventh win in nine games.

"I was already seeing the team improve before the lockdown, then we grew a lot," said Pioli, who has been given a two-year contract extension with the club until June 2022.

"We're doing good things, but it is not over yet," added Ibrahimovic.   

"We are still in the running to reach our goal. Fifth place is what we want, but the qualifiers are fine too."

Ibrahimovic nodded in Hakan Calhanoglu's cross after 19 minutes and added a second just before the break.

The 38-year-old, who helped Milan to their last Serie A title back in 2011, savoured scoring more than one goal in a Serie A game for the first time in eight years.

Francesco Caputo had equalised for the hosts from the penalty spot, after a Calhanoglu handball, for his 19th goal this season.

But Sassuolo played the second half a man down after Mehdi Bourabia was sent off for a foul on Ante Rebic, ending their nine-match unbeaten run.

Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma took over the captain's armband after an injury to Alessio Romagnoli as the 21-year-old marked his 200th game for the club.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Miguel Medina

Matteo Pessina grabbed the equaliser for Hellas Verona to hold his high-flying parent club Atalanta 1-1 in Serie A on Saturday.

Atalanta move level on points with second-placed Inter Milan, but are six points adrift of Serie A leaders Juventus.

On-loan Pessina tapped in just before the hour mark in Verona minutes after Colombian striker Duvan Zapata had put the visitors ahead.

Atalanta move level on 71 points with second-placed Inter Milan, but are six points adrift of Serie A leaders Juventus.

Inter Milan travel to fifth-placed Roma on Sunday, with eight-time holders Juventus on Monday hosting fourth-placed Lazio, who are eight points off top spot.

"Talking about the Scudetto was always excessive," said Gasperini, whose side have now scored in a club record 22 games in a row.

Atalanta's hopes of a first Scudetto in the team's 112-year history are all but over with four games left to play.

"Since the restart (after coronavirus), we've been notching up results at Scudetto-pace, but that was never our objective because something extraordinary had to happen for us, but also for Juventus. 

"We lack a point to get to the Champions League," continued Gasperini, whose side will play Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight of this year's edition next month. 

"It's true, our thoughts are on the PSG, a lot. We set some milestones in the championship, the record, the second place.

"But we use these games to prepare ourselves for even higher quality and the Champions League."

- Milan turn on the power -

Promoted Verona, in ninth, are coached by ex-Croatia midfielder Ivan Juric, who played under Gasperini in Genoa and was his assistant at Inter Milan and then Palermo.

"It was a good match against a difficult team who wanted revenge after a controversial loss to Roma," added Gasperini, who lamented his side's "lack of lucidity to close down the game".

Atalanta threatened early on, with Mario Pasalic, scorer of a hat-trick against Brescia during the week, forcing a save from Marco Silvestri after quarter of an hour.

Zapata came close before the break, before getting his chance five minutes into the second half pouncing on a blunder by Koray Gunter to blast past Silvestri.

It was the Colombian's 18th goal in all competitions this season, and 80th in his Serie A career between Atalanta, Sampdoria, Udinese and Napoli.

Four minutes later Pessina send in a rebound for his seventh league goal this season.

"I'm a bit sorry because I owe so much to Atalanta," said Pessina, "but I'm a Verona player now.

"I'm happy that my goals this season were important to the team to stay in the top-flight and to aim high."

AC Milan continued their fine form since the return from lockdown extending their unbeaten run to eight games, including six wins, with a 5-1 success over Bologna to move sixth and into the Europa League places.

Alexis Saelemaekers scored his first Milan goal after ten minutes with Hakan Calhanoglu adding a second after 24 minutes.

Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu gave Bologna hope, firing in for just outside the box for his first Serie A goal just before the break.

But Calhanoglu set up Ismael Bennacer for the third just after the break with Ante Rebic grabbed the fourth, three minutes before the hour mark with Davide Calabria adding a fifth in injury time

Milan move three points ahead of Napoli who host Udinese on Sunday and within a point of Roma.

Eighth-placed Sassuolo's Europa League hopes dwindled in a 1-1 draw at ten-man Cagliari in a game the visitors dominated.

Francesco Caputo had headed Sassuolo ahead after 12 minutes scoring in his third consecutive game to bring his league tally to 18 this season.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Miguel Medina

Gambian teenager Musa Juwara said he dedicated his first Serie A goal to "all who helped" him after an incredible journey to the top level of Italian football was capped in style when he scored for Bologna on Sunday.

The 18-year-old forward, who arrived in Italy after travelling unaccompanied across the Mediterranean as a child in 2016, came off the bench to equalise in Bologna's eventual 2-1 victory at third-placed Inter Milan.

"I dedicate this goal to my family and all those who have helped me along the way," Juwara, who was brought up by his grandfather after being orphaned, told Tuttomercatoweb.

He was adopted by an Italian couple, who helped him fight the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for the right to play following his arrival in Europe.

"I thank the coach (Sinisa Mihajlovic) so much for giving me confidence against Inter, I'm very happy to have scored my first goal," Juwara added.

"It's a dream come true for me and I will remember this for the rest of my life."

Juwara's fellow Gambian and namesake Musa Barrow scored a dramatic late winner at San Siro, the sixth time he has netted in just 11 league appearances since joining Bologna from Atalanta on loan in January.

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At 14, @musajuwara left Gambia for Italy without any family. On Sunday, 9 minutes after being subbed on, he scored his first Serie A goal and sparked Bologna’s comeback win vs. Inter

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"I'm very happy for the other Musa, I gave him some advice and after the game I asked him for his shirt, because he was very good," said striker Barrow, who himself is only 21.

Juwara, who revealed he grew up supporting Chelsea and idolised Eden Hazard, is still yet to make his first league start for Bologna and the 25 minutes he played on Sunday is the most he has featured in a Serie A match.

But he has now made his mark, with his first goal all the more remarkable given he was embroiled in a legal battle with the FIGC in 2017 just to be allowed to sign for Chievo due to a rule preventing exploitation of child immigrants.

Juwara later joined Bologna for a reported fee of 500,000 euros ($566,000), but despite being expected to play for the under-19 side, has forced his way into the first-team squad.

Bologna host Sassuolo on Wednesday, when the ninth-placed side will be hoping Juwara can continue to defy the odds as they bid to launch a late challenge for Europa League qualification.

Mihajlovic's side sit five points off the last possible European spot currently held by seventh-placed AC Milan with eight matches of the season remaining.

Elsewhere in Serie A this week, leaders Juventus, who sit seven points clear of Lazio, visit Milan on Tuesday after Lazio take on relegation-threatened Lecce.

Serie A midweek fixtures (all times GMT)

Tuesday

Lecce v Lazio (1730), AC Milan v Juventus (1945)

Wednesday

Fiorentina v Cagliari, Genoa v Napoli (1730), Roma v Parma, Atalanta v Sampdoria, Bologna v Sassuolo, Torino v Brescia (1945)

Thursday

SPAL v Udinese (1730), Hellas Verona v Inter Milan (1945)

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Miguel Medina

Liverpool sharpshooter Sadio Mane broke the deadlock in a 2-0 English Premier League win over Aston Villa at Anfield by scoring his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.

It was the third straight campaign in which the Senegal forward and reigning African Footballer of the Year has bagged at least 20 goals for the Merseysiders.

The other African on target in the Premier League at the weekend was Nigeria's Kelechi Iheanacho, whose goal set Leicester City up for a 3-0 home victory over Crystal Palace.   

ENGLAND

SADIO MANE (Liverpool)

Jurgen Klopp's side found it hard work breaking down struggling Villa, but Mane had the answer when he fired home from close-range after running onto Guinea midfielder Naby Keita's pass. With five games left, Liverpool have 89 points and remain in the hunt to break Manchester City's Premier League record of 100 points established last season.

Read | Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend

KELECHI IHEANACHO (Leicester)

The striker bagged his 10th goal of the season as he broke the deadlock in the 49th minute, side-footing home a low left-wing cross from Youri Tielemans to claim his second goal in as many games. Leicester's first win since the coronavirus hiatus was sealed by the 100th and 101st Premier League goals of Jamie Vardy's career, leaving the Foxes in third place and on course to qualify for the Champions League.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Arsenal)

The Gabon forward failed to score for the fourth time in five matches since the Premier League restart, but the Gunners still won 2-0 at Wolves. Amid speculation that he will ask to leave Arsenal in the close-season, Aubameyang's only goals since February came in the 4-0 win over Norwich on July 1. But he made a crucial contribution against Wolves with a clever pass to Kieran Tierney, who went on to set up Bukayo Saka's 43rd-minute opener. Suitably inspired, Arsenal clinched their fourth successive win in all competitions to remain in the hunt for European qualification.

SPAIN

ANSU FATI (Barcelona)

Fati came off the bench to score his seventh goal of the season in Barcelona's 4-1 victory over Villarreal. The Guinea-Bissau-born 17-year-old cut in from the left and drove the ball inside the near post to continue a remarkable breakthrough season for him at Camp Nou. Fati's goal helped Barca reduce the gap at the top of La Liga to four points, with Real Madrid still in pole position with four games to play,

ZOUHAIR FEDDAL (Real Betis)

Moroccan defender Feddal rescued a point for Betis by scoring a late equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo. He was left free at the back post, where he controlled and finished for his first goal of the season in La Liga. It earned a valuable point for Betis, who have been sliding closer to the bottom three. They sit nine points clear of the relegation zone with four rounds left.

ITALY 

MUSA JUWARA/MUSA BARROW (Bologna)

The pair of Gambian forwards combined to deal a potentially fatal blow to Inter Milan's Serie A title hopes as Bologna fought back to beat Antonio Conte's side 2-1 at the San Siro. The 18-year-old Juwara came off the bench to drill in a 74th-minute equaliser before Barrow capped a flowing counter-attack late on with a low finish to score a dramatic winner.

GERMANY

EDMOND TAPSOBA (Bayer Leverkusen)

When Leverkusen's Burkina Faso defender Tapsoba clattered Robert Lewandowski, who went onto score twice, early in the German Cup final, David Alaba swung in the resulting free-kick to give Bayern Munich the lead in a 4-2 victory at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. After Alaba and Serge Gnabry scored in the first half for Bayern, Lewandowski netted twice after the break to leave him with a total of 51 goals this season while Sven Bender and Kai Havertz bagged consolation goals for Leverkusen.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte said his team "gifted" Bologna a 2-1 win on Sunday after they blew a goal and a man advantage to see their Serie A title challenge all but ended in dramatic fashion.

Antonio Conte's men needed a win to move back to within eight points of leaders Juventus, and one of second-placed Lazio, but despite leading through Romelu Lukaku's 20th league goal of the campaign and playing against 10 men, contrived to collapse to defeat.

Juventus sit seven points clear at the top after beating Torino in the Turin derby on Saturday, when second-placed Lazio were thumped by AC Milan.

Inter, who also missed a penalty when 1-0 up, are now 11 points off the pace with only eight matches of the season remaining and just one point ahead of fourth-placed Atalanta who beat Cagliari 1-0.

"It's clear what happened, so there's not much I can say," Conte told DAZN. "We all have to take our share of the responsibility, first of all me as the coach, then the players who step onto that pitch. I think we gifted Bologna the game today and it's not the first time.

"We have to ask ourselves questions now, both myself and the players."

The third-placed hosts forged ahead midway through the first half as Lautaro Martinez headed Ashley Young's left-wing cross against the post, but Lukaku was on hand to tap in.

It was the Belgian's 20th league goal since joining Inter from Manchester United last year and his 26th in all competitions.

Mid-table Bologna always carried a threat, though, and Riccardo Orsolini twice went close to equalising before half-time.

But Inter were gifted a golden opportunity to take total control 12 minutes into the second half when Bologna midfielder Roberto Soriano was sent off for dissent.

A crucial three points appeared almost certain when Martinez stepped up to take a 61st-minute penalty, but the Argentinian striker saw his effort saved by visiting goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.

That was the cue for Inter, chasing a first league title since winning the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010, to collapse in the closing stages.

Musa Juwara, on as a substitute, fired home a 74th-minute leveller through the weak attempted save by Inter stopper Samir Handanovic, before the home side also saw their numerical advantage disappear shortly afterwards as Alessandro Bastoni was dismissed for a second yellow card.

The comeback was completed with 10 minutes left, as Gambian striker Musa Barrow finished off a sweeping Bologna counter-attack with a fine left-footed shot past Handanovic.

Inter piled on the pressure during six minutes of injury time, but failed to rescue even a point, with Alexis Sanchez denied by Skorupski.

Bologna moved up to ninth, five points off the Europa League places.

- Atalanta march on -

Atalanta were not at their free-flowing best but still did enough to claim their 10th straight win in all competitions against 10-man Cagliari.

Gian Piero Gasperini's men looked set to battle Roma for the fourth and final Champions League place when Serie A restarted following the coronavirus lockdown, but are now closer to leaders Juventus than they are to the fifth-placed capital club.

Luis Muriel scored what proved to be the winner from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after teenage Cagliari defender Andrea Carboni was sent off.

Elsewhere, Brescia moved off the foot of the table and kept their survival hopes alive by beating Verona 2-0, their first victory since last December.

They are now six points from safety after 17th-placed Genoa rescued a 2-2 draw at Udinese thanks to Andrea Pinamonti's 97th-minute leveller.

Sampdoria moved seven points clear of the drop zone by cruising past new bottom club SPAL 3-0, while Fiorentina saw off Parma 2-1.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Miguel Medina

Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala scored early as Juventus put their Italian Cup final woes behind them with a 2-0 win over Bologna on Monday to move four points clear of Lazio on top of the Serie A table.

Portuguese star Ronaldo had missed a penalty in the Italian Cup semi-final against AC Milan, and drew a blank in the final which Juventus lost 4-2 on penalties to Napoli.

But the 35-year-old made no mistake in Juventus's first league game since beating Inter Milan 2-0 in Turin on March 8.

He converted a spot-kick earned by Matthijs de Ligt after 23 minutes for his 26th goal for the Turin giants in all competitions this season.

Dybala curled in the second on 36 minutes off a Federico Bernardeschi back-heel flick as Juventus, chasing a ninth consecutive Scudetto, opened up a four-point lead on second-placed Lazio.

"We need confidence and this victory will help us," said Dybala.

"It's not easy to be brilliant right now, we hadn't been playing for a long time.

"If we had won the (Italian Cup) final everyone would have complimented us, because on a tactical level we have had a great game, even if we were not brilliant, but we conceded little.

"Today we played a great game, even if after 2-0 we gave up a bit."

Lazio travel north to fourth-placed Atalanta in Bergamo on Wednesday, looking to keep their bid for a first Serie A title in two decades on track.

Inter Milan, in third, are nine points adrift of Juventus, and next host Sassuolo.

- 'Important victory' -

AC Milan shrugged off the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to sweep past Lecce 4-1 and keep their bid for European football next season alive as 10-man Fiorentina were held 1-1 by basement club Brescia.

Swedish star Ibrahimovic has yet to return from a calf injury but Milan put their exit in the Italian Cup semi-final behind them at relegation-threatened Lecce.

"It's an important victory," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli. 

"Roma (in fifth) are far away at the moment but we have to try to make as many points as possible.

"Ibra is a fundamental player for us, without him we had to find other solutions."

In Lecce, Samuel Castillejo opened the scoring after 26 minutes for the visitors, connecting with a Hakan Calhanoglu cross from the right to slot in his first goal this season.

Marco Mancosu pulled Lecce level from the penalty spot after 54 minutes, sparking an immediate Milan fightback with two goals in three minutes.

Lecce keeper Gabriel denied Calhanoglu with Giacomo Bonaventura on hand to finish off with Ante Rebic racing through the Lecce defence for a third -- and his seventh goal this season.

Rafael Leao got his head to an Andrea Conti cross with Calhanoglu again involved in the build-up after 72 minutes.

Milan move up to seventh equal on points with Napoli, who occupy the final Europa League berth before they play this week.

In Florence, Franck Ribery returned after nearly seven months out following an ankle injury but his side settled for a third consecutive stalemate against Brescia.

Alfredo Donnarumma put Brescia ahead after 17 minutes from the penalty spot but Fiorentina captain German Pezzella responded with a diving header after half an hour.

Fiorentina had two goals disallowed and played the final 20 minutes a man down when Martin Caceres was sent off for a second yellow card.

The Tuscany club are 13th with Brescia ending their three-match losing streak.