Juventus win secures Champions League spot, Venezia relegated

UPDATED May 26, 2025, 05:53 AM

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Manuel Locatelli's penalty earned Juventus a 3-2 win at Venezia on Sunday to secure his side a Champions League spot and relegate the hosts, with Empoli also condemned to Serie B after a 2-1 loss at home to Hellas Verona.

Juventus end the season fourth in the standings, one point ahead of AS Roma, who have to settle for Europa League football despite a 2-0 win at Torino. Venezia finished second from bottom on 29 points, with Empoli 18th on 31.

Venezia had to win to have any chance of avoiding the drop, while Juventus also needed a victory to ensure fourth place, and the game lived up to its dramatic billing on the final day of the Serie A season.

The hosts had the perfect start, taking the lead in the second minute. Ridgeciano Haps played a one-two with Mikael Ellertsson before passing in to Daniel Fila who volleyed past Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

A packed Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium was still celebrating when Alberto Costa rifled a shot into the Venezia net three minutes later but the goal was disallowed for handball.

A quick throw in from Andrea Cambiaso caught the Venezia defence napping and Kenan Yildiz drilled in a low shot which beat keeper Ionut Radu for a 25th-minute equaliser.

Six minutes later, a sloppy pass from Venezia at the back led to a scramble for the ball, which eventually fell to Randal Kolo Muani who made enough space for himself to take a shot which Radu again failed to keep out.

Haps made it 2-2 in the 55th minute but, with Roma ahead at Torino, Juventus had to win and when Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, on loan from Juve, pulled down Francisco Conceicao, captain Locatelli converted from the spot to net the winner 17 minutes from time.

In the end, even a win for Venezia would not have saved them from going straight back down to the second tier on a tense final day with two relegation spots to be decided and Monza already relegated.

Hellas Verona's win at Empoli pulled them clear of the drop, into 14th place, and relegated the home side, while Lecce won 1-0 at Lazio to finish 17th in the standings, three points above Empoli.

Lassana Colulibaly put Lecce ahead two minutes before the break and they then had Santiago Pierotti and Ante Rebic sent off in added time before the interval but hung on for a win which also denied Lazio a place in Europe.

Fiorentina's 3-2 win away to Udinese means they finished sixth which gives them a place in the Conference League, after ending level on 65 points with Lazio but with a better head-to-head record. REUTERS

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