It was a closing day to recollect throughout Europe’s high leagues, with Serie A delivering essentially the most dramatic finishes lately as AC Milan’s Champions League hopes evaporated, Como accomplished a fairytale first season again within the high flight with a spot in European soccer, and Villarreal placed on a present in La Liga.
Milan surprised as Como and Roma seize Europa spots
AC Milan’s dream of Champions League soccer got here crashing down on the ultimate day as Cagliari, who had nothing however satisfaction to play for, produced a exceptional comeback to win 2-1 at San Siro, handing the Rossoneri one of the vital painful leads to their latest historical past.
Alexis Saelemaekers had given Milan the proper begin after simply 93 seconds, the quickest objective of their Serie A season, and for a short interval every part gave the impression to be going to plan.
However Cagliari refused to lie down. Gennaro Borrelli equalised on 20 minutes with a poacher’s end from a nook, after which Juan Rodriguez – scoring his first Serie A objective of the season – headed in from shut vary within the 57th minute to finish the turnaround.
Milan’s makes an attempt to salvage the sport, even with Rafael Leao launched from the bench and Luka Modric including expertise, got here to nothing. It opened the door for groups under them.
Como, of their first season again in Serie A, walked proper by way of it. Cesc Fabregas’s facet hammered Cremonese 4-1 in a second half that descended into chaos on the Zini, with three Cremonese gamers, Djuric, Grassi, and Okereke, all receiving pink playing cards within the area of some minutes.
Lucas Da Cunha scored twice, together with a transformed penalty, as Como completed what has been a genuinely extraordinary marketing campaign. Champions League soccer of their first season again.
Roma additionally did what was required, seeing off Verona 2-0 on the Olimpico. It was not all the time simple, the primary half completed goalless, and it took a VAR-awarded penalty, initially saved by Montipo earlier than Donyell Malen transformed the rebound, to interrupt the impasse within the 56th minute.
Stephan El Shaarawy wrapped it up late on with a composed end. Verona’s Nicolas Valentini made life tougher for his facet by amassing two yellow playing cards, the second simply 5 minutes into the second half, and the ten males may provide little resistance.
Napoli completed second after a routine 1-0 win over Udinese, Rasmus Hojlund sliding dwelling a classic Kevin De Bruyne through-ball on 24 minutes, to verify their runners-up spot in Antonio Conte’s closing sport in cost.
Inter Milan had been already topped champions. Milan’s collapse means Juventus, no matter their end result, can end no increased than a Europa League spot at finest.
Villarreal 5-1 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid’s season ended with a humbling as Villarreal produced one of many performances of the weekend, working out emphatic 5-1 winners on the Estadio de la Ceramica.
The harm was largely executed by half-time. Dani Parejo transformed a penalty on half-hour after Nicolas Pepe gained a foul within the field, earlier than Ayoze Perez, excellent all through, added a second with a cool end from the centre of the field.
Georges Mikautadze then confirmed precisely why Villarreal invested in him, racing onto a quick break to drill an excellent effort into the highest nook and make it three. Atletico did pull one again by way of a Marc Pubill header from a nook, however Pape Gueye restored the three-goal margin with a thunderous drive from outdoors the field proper on half-time.
