Atalanta stumbled again in the race to qualify for the next Champions League, this time drawing 0-0 at home against Udinese on Saturday in matchday 25 of the Italian Serie A.
The Bergamo team is still sixth, now provisionally five points behind the fourth place marked by that ‘Champions zone’ and occupied by AC Milan, who visit Fiorentina in the last game on Saturday and could widen the gap.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta, with 42 points, can also see Juventus (7th, 37 points) move closer in the standings on Sunday if the Turin team, launched into a comeback against the clock after their fifteen-point penalty in January for fraud accountants, win on Sunday at Roma’s ground (5th, 44 points).
After having lost three of their last four games, Atalanta entered Saturday’s duel with the intention of correcting the course, but was stopped time and time again by the solid defense of Udinese (9th), who has gone six straight games without win (four draws, two losses).
Udinese see how Monza (10th) reaches 32 points, which recovered from its last two defeats with a 2-1 victory over Empoli (13th).
Patrick Ciurria (19) and Armando Izzo (67) signed the goals for Monza, while in between the Uruguayan Martín Satriano (51) had temporarily equalized for Empoli.
On Friday, the 25th Italian day had opened with the surprise of Lazio, who won 1-0 in the field of leader Napoli, thanks to a goal from Uruguayan Matías Vecino.
The Neapolitans, leaders still with a huge advantage over their pursuers, suffered their second defeat in this Serie A and broke a streak of eight consecutive league victories.
