Soccer: Battle for UCL Spots Heats Up as Napoli Hold Lead

Naples: The battle to finish in Serie A’s top four to qualify for next season’s Champions League heated up at the weekend as leaders Napoli moved closer to winning their fourth scudetto, their second in two years, with a 1-0 win at strugglers Lecce on Saturday. That victory keeps Antonio Conte’s side four points clear of champions Inter, who beat Hellas Verona 1-0 at home on Saturday, with three games to go.

According to Ansa News Agency, third-placed Atalanta, who have 68 points, nine fewer than Napoli, on Sunday thrashed bottom side Monza 4-0 away to condemn the club owned by the Berlusconi family to relegation to Serie B. Juventus are five points further back in fourth after being held to a 1-1 draw at Bologna.

Fifth-placed AS Roma and sixth-placed Lazio are level on points with Juve thanks to 1-0 wins at home against eighth-placed Fiorentina and away to second-bottom Empoli respectively. Bologna are also still in the hunt for a Champions League spot as they are just one point behind that trio in seventh
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On Sunday, Pisa joined already crowned Serie B champions Sassuolo in winning promotion to the top flight despite losing 1-0 to Bari as third-placed Spezia can no longer catch them following a 2-1 defeat to Reggiana.