A late, late goal from M’Baye Niang gave Empoli a sensational 2-1 win over Roma on Sunday, which was just enough to see them safe and send Frosinone through the trapdoor.
The relegation battle has been intense for weeks and, with Salernitana and Sassuolo both relegated, three teams were in danger of joining them in Serie B. Going into the final round on Sunday, Frosinone on 35 points, Udinese on 34 and Empoli on 33 were all in the mix and, on a dramatic last day the 2023/24 Serie A campaign, it was Frosinone who took the drop.
Empoli really needed a win and Matteo Cancellieri, on loan from Lazio gave them a 13th-minute lead, converting a chance brilliantly created by Emmanuel Gyasi, but Roma hit back through Houssem Aouar. As Empoli pushed for a winner the news came through that former Aston Villa star Keinan Davis had given Udinese a 76th-minute lead to see them safe.
But the home fans’ prayers were answered and the Stadio Carlo Castellani erupted on 93 minutes when substitute Niang banged in the priceless winner.
Breathless!
Giroud signs off with a goal
In other Serie A 2024 news AC Milan finished in second place and ended their campaign with an entertaining 3-3 draw at home to bottom club Salernitana. It was veteran striker Olivier Giroud’s last game in European football as he prepares to start the next chapter of a wonderful career, in MLS with Los Angeles FC, and he said goodbye to the Rossoneri faithful with a goal. That made it 15 for the campaign for Giroud and took him up to joint third place in the Capocannoniere list.
France’s all-time top international scorer joined Milan in 2021 and played a big part in his club’s Scudetto triumph in 2022 and he also featured plenty in I Rossoneri’s run to the Champions League semi-final in 2023. He was given a standing ovation when he was substituted five minutes from the end and, with 39 goals in 97 appearances for Milan, Giroud will take some replacing.
Juventus finish with a win
After Bologna lost to Genoa on Friday night Juventus took their chance to confirm their top-four place with a 2-0 win over Monza, thanks to goals from Federico Chiesa and Alex Sandro. It was a first win in six for Juve who had drawn the last five. The SBOTOP odds backed a home win and the Old Lady finally delivered to move third.
I Bianconeri have been looking for a new manager after they sacked Max Allegri in the aftermath of their Coppa Italia triumph. Allegri was sent off for berating the fourth official, ripped off his jacket and tie and then seemingly shouted ‘out, out’ at club director Cristiano Giuntoli during the after-match celebrations!
There’s nothing quite like going out with a bang and Allegri certainly did that.
The Old Lady has been expected to announce the arrival of Thiago Motta as the new head coach after he declined to renew his contract at Bologna and while, at the time of writing, nothing has yet been confirmed Motta is expected to arrive in Turin very soon.
Atalanta win ends Roma’s Champions League hopes
Europa League hero Ademola Lookman was on target again as Atalanta beat Torino 3-0 to move into the top four, two points behind Juventus with one game left. The win meant that Roma were out of the Champions League running because La Dea would have to finish outside the top four to give I Giallorossi any chance.
After Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen to win the Europa League there was brief hope that Serie A might earn six Champions League places but the extra place is only allocated if the Europa champions don’t qualify in their domestic league, which Gian Piero Gasperini’s side has done in spectacular form, winning the last six.
Bologna will finish in fifth place and, at the start of the season the Serie A 2024 betting odds would have given you a good price on that.
After their loss at Empoli, Roma finished in sixth and earned a Europa League place while Lazio played out a 1-1 draw at home to Sassuolo to finish seventh; and that leaves one match to catch up on.
Inter won the Scudetto at a canter and they signed off for the summer with a 2-2 draw away to Hellas Verona to finish 19 points ahead of AC Milan.
But all the drama on a sensational Sunday was at the bottom end of the table where there were cheers in Empoli and tears for Frosinone.
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