A roundup of Sunday’s action in Italy’s top flight…
[ MORE: Saturday’s La Liga & Serie A roundup ]
Lazio 0-2 Roma
A win would have put Lazio two points clear of their capital rivals and right into the thick of the race for second. Instead, they suffered a 2-0 defeat at the Olympic Stadium. Kevin Strootman put the “visitors” ahead in the 64th minute with a simple finish following Wallace’s disastrous giveaway atop Lazio’s 18-yard box. The Dutch midfielder then proceeded to pathetically writhe around in pain after Danilo Cataldi tugged on the back of his jersey, which was allegedly instigated by Strootman spraying water on the substitute as he made his way back to midfield for the restart.
Radja Nainggolan finished off the Biancocelesti with Roma’s second goal of the game in the 77th minute, a pinpoint, bouncing effort from 30 yards out with which Federico Marchetti couldn’t cope. The Belgian broke free in the middle of the field, dribbled past a defender, and fired from distance to make it 2-0. The victory sees the Giallorossi remain just four points back of Juventus in the league table, level on points with AC Milan in the race for second.
AC Milan 2-1 Crotone
Speaking of the Rossoneri, Vincenzo Montella’s side came back from a goal down in the first half to defeat bottom-of-the-league Cronto at the San Siro Stadium. The victory keeps Milan level with Roma for that second and final automatic UEFA Champions League spot.
Crotone went 1-0 up in the 26th minute, but 21-year-old Mario Pasalic equalized four minutes before halftime with a tap-in from three yards out, followed by Gianluca Lapadula’s winner in the 86th minute, a scrappy finish following a failed clearance of a free kick, which prevented one of the most embarrassing results of the still-young season thus far.
Elsewhere in Serie A
Fiorentina 2-1 Palermo
Pescara 1-1 Cagliari
Sampdoria 2-0 Torino
Sassuolo 3-0 Empoli
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Juventus | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 13 | 19 | 8-0-0 | 4-0-3 | 36 |
| Roma | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 16 | 19 | 7-0-0 | 3-2-3 | 32 |
| AC Milan | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 19 | 8 | 6-1-1 | 4-1-2 | 32 |
| Napoli | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 5-2-1 | 3-2-2 | 28 |
| Lazio | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 16 | 11 | 5-1-2 | 3-3-1 | 28 |
La Liga scoreboard
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Eibar
Real Betis 3-3 Celta Vigo
Alaves 3-1 Las Palmas
Sporting Gijon 1-1 Osasuna
Valencia 2-2 Malaga
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Real Madrid | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 12 | 25 | 5-2-0 | 5-2-0 | 34 |
| Barcelona | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 15 | 19 | 3-3-1 | 5-1-1 | 28 |
| Sevilla | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 6-0-1 | 2-3-2 | 27 |
| Atlético Madrid | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 11 | 17 | 4-2-1 | 3-2-2 | 25 |
| Villarreal | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 5-1-1 | 1-4-2 | 23 |
| Real Sociedad | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 4-2-1 | 3-0-3 | 23 |
| Athletic | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 5-1-1 | 2-1-4 | 23 |
