The final round of Serie A concluded with high drama, unexpected results, and a fierce battle for European spots. The race for the Champions League qualification remained intense until the final minutes.
Entering the 38th round in 3rd place, Milan had their destiny in their own hands. However, the 'Rossoneri' suffered one of the season's most painful results, losing 1-2 at home to Cagliari. This defeat dropped the team to 6th place.
Milan started the match well. Saelemaekers opened the scoring in the 2nd minute to give the hosts the lead. However, Cagliari quickly fought back. Borelli leveled the score in the 20th minute, and Rodriguez scored the winner for the visitors in the 57th minute. Thus, Allegri's side will settle for the Europa League instead of the Champions League.
Milan's stumble opened a massive opportunity for their rivals. Roma and Como took full advantage. The Romans defeated Verona 2-0 away, finishing 3rd with 73 points. Malen and El Shaarawy scored in the match. Interestingly, although Malen missed a penalty, he still managed to get his name on the scoresheet later.
Como achieved a historic result with a 4-1 away victory against Cremonese. Effective contributions from Rodriguez, Douvikas, and Da Cunha secured the vital win. Da Cunha scored twice in the second half to become one of the match heroes. Thus, Como finished 4th with 71 points and secured a Champions League spot.
Champions Inter and runners-up Napoli had already secured their UCL spots earlier. Now, Roma and Como have joined them. This result is considered a truly historic event, especially for Como.
Although Juventus could also reach 71 points, they miss out on the Champions League due to an inferior head-to-head record against Como. The Turin side will participate in the Europa League next season.
The bottom of the table also saw a dramatic end to the season. Cremonese lost 1-4 at home to Como and were relegated to Serie B. Thus, they became the third team to leave the elite division after Pisa and Verona. Lecce ended the season with a win, beating Genoa 1-0.
Serie A. Matchday 38. May 24
Milan — Cagliari 1-2
Goals: Saelemaekers 2 — Borelli 20, Rodriguez 57.Verona — Roma 0-2
Goals: Malen 56, El Shaarawy 90+3.
Missed penalty: Malen 56.
Red card: Valentini 50.Cremonese — Como 1-4
Goals: Bonazzoli 55 penalty — Rodriguez 36, Douvikas 51, Da Cunha 74 penalty, 81.
Red card: Grassi 71.Lecce — Genoa 1-0
Goal: Banda 6.
In short, the final round of Serie A turned into a real football drama. Milan lost at home and missed out on the Champions League. Roma and Como seized their chances and headed to the European elite. The season in Italy is over, but the noise from this round will be discussed for a long time.
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