Serie A league leaders Napoli were under serious pressure when they headed to Bologna on Sunday afternoon, and they buckled badly as their hosts inflicted a damaging 2-0 defeat on Antonio Conte’s men.
Meaning Scudetto favourites I Partenopei are no longer on the top of the pile.
With star man Kevin De Bruyne out injured, for a few weeks to come, Napoli have begun to look vulnerable; and Bologna took advantage to climb up to fifth, within a point of their visitors in a congested top of the table. Even after they lost keeper Lukasz Skorupski to an early injury I Rossoblu were comfortable, and 17 year old Massimo Pessina had a great debut, picking up a Serie A clean sheet at his first attempt.
After a goalless first half Bologna struck when Thijs Dallinga flicked a near post cross in with the outside of his boot, and Jhon Lucumi doubled the lead on 66, rising above the Napoli defence to plant a header home.
The win lifted Bologna back into top four contention while giving the Serie A 2025 betting odds a shake-up, as the reigning champions faltered.
Forza Roma!
Napoli’s loss to Bologna opened the door to their Scudetto rivals and it was Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma who took full advantage, moving to the top of the table on Sunday afternoon. In my SBOTOP preview of Roma vs Udinese I said this was a must win for I Giallorossi if they are to be taken seriously as title contenders, and they certainly delivered; picking up a 2-0 win at home to mid table Udinese.
Inter Milan can go top if they win the late Sunday night game against Roma’s city rivals Lazio; but for now it’s I Gialorross on top and Gasperini is working the magic he weaved for so long at Atalanta.
Roma broke through towards the end of a tight first half and they had a helping hand from Udinese defender Hassane Kamara who handled in the penalty area. The in-form Lorenzo Pellegrini stepped up and slammed the spot kick into the bottom right corner and the home fans celebrated again.
Udinese looked dangerous as they probed early in the second period but the game was settled when Zeki Celik took a pass from Gianluca Mancini and smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
In other Serie A 2025 results Gasperini’s old friends at Atalanta continued their struggles as they were slapped 3-0 at home by Sassuolo, while ambitious Como stayed seventh after they were held to a goalless draw at home to Cagliari.
Milan make a mess in Parma
AC Milan had a chance to put more pressure on Napoli when they faced Parma on Saturday but, after racing into a 2-0 lead, they fluffed it and picked up a solitary point against the Serie A strugglers. I Rossoneri started with Christian Pulisic and Fikayo Tomori on the bench, though wingback Pervis Estupian made his first start since September.
Milan took the lead when Christopker Nkunku fed Alexis Saelemaekers and the midfielder hit a low skidding shot past Zion Suzuki and into the net. And when Saelemaekers was felled in the penalty area, Rafael Leao doubled the lead with a well taken penalty. Suzuki went the right way but the winger’s low shot was out of his reach and in the corner. Milan were seemingly coasting to a victory, but the hosts halved the deficit in first half injury time when Adrian Bernabe curled a beauty into the top right corner beyond the despairing dive of Mike Maignan.
Parma had their tails up and went for their illustrious opponents in the second half, and they got their deserved leveller on the hour. Sacha Britschgi sent a cross into the danger area and Enrico Delprato did the rest, glancing a header in at the near post. It was a bitter sweet moment for the defender, a lifelong AC Milan fan, while Milan were clearly missing centre back Tomori.
I Rossoneri should have won the game when substitute Pulisic latched onto a ball from Leao but he dragged his shot wide.
There was frustration too for Juventus who failed to break down Torino in a 0-0 draw on Saturday. Manager Luciano Spalletti, recently appointed following the sacking of Igor Tudor won his first game in charge, 2-1 away to Cremonese, and really should have expected another success in the Turin derby but his team lacked a cutting edge: “We were missing a little bit of quality and the fantasy that is needed in games,” he said. “You need that precision to pass the ball between two opponents. You also need a little bit of luck.”
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
