News Focus
- Napoli suffer dramatic 3-2 home loss to Bologna at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
- Five clubs now sit within five points of each other competing for three Champions League places
- All decisive Week 37 fixtures scheduled for simultaneous kick-off on Sunday to ensure fairness
- Italian league uses head-to-head record rather than goal difference to separate teams level on points
Napoli have missed the chance to secure their place in next season’s Champions League after collapsing to a shock 3-2 defeat against Bologna on home soil. The Partenopei required victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to guarantee a top-four finish mathematically, but they failed to hold onto a late comeback.
The hosts found themselves two goals behind before fighting back to level the scores at 2-2. However, Jonathan Rowe struck a stunning volley during stoppage time to snatch all three points for the visitors and plunge Napoli into a nerve-wracking finale.
This result leaves the race for Champions League qualification incredibly tight. Napoli now hold only a two-point advantage over Juventus, who occupy third position. The gap to both AC Milan and AS Roma stands at just three points, whilst surprise contenders Como remain within touching distance, sitting five points adrift of second place with two fixtures remaining.
Inter have already guaranteed their spot in Europe’s premier club competition, leaving three places available for the five chasing clubs. The intense nature of this battle has forced league organisers to schedule all relevant Week 37 matches for the same time on Sunday. Fixtures will kick off at 11:30 UK time (12:30 CEST) to prevent any team gaining an unfair advantage through knowing other results.
Had Napoli secured victory against Bologna, their trip to Pisa could have moved to an evening slot. Instead, the simultaneous schedule remains in place. Italian league rules state that should teams finish level on points, their head-to-head record during the campaign determines their final position rather than goal difference. If three or more clubs are tied, officials create a mini-table based solely on matches between those specific sides.