Monday, May 19, 2014
Juventus break 100-points barrier with Cagliari win
Champions Juventus became the first team to break the 100-points barrier in Serie A when they beat Cagliari 3-0 in their final league game of the season on Sunday.
Juventus, who won all 19 of their home matches, completed their campaign with 102 points after winning 33, drawing three and losing two of their 38 games.
They finished 17 points clear of AS Roma, who slumped to their third successive defeat when they lost 1-0 at Genoa to a late goal scored by Giannis Fetfatzidis.
At the bottom, already relegated Catania bid farewell to Serie A with a 2-1 win over Atalanta thanks to Gonzalo Bergessio's stoppage time penalty.
Juventus, champions for a third successive season, went ahead with a Marco Silvestri own goal in the eighth minute and Fernando Llorente and Claudio Marchisio added further goals before halftime.
Before and during the match, Juventus fans appealed to coach Antonio Conte not to leave the club.
Around 1,000 fans gathered in front of the team's hotel outside Turin before the game, holding banners asking him to stay.
Similar banners, plus a huge drawing of the feisty coach, were held aloft by supporters in the stadium during the match.
According to Italian media, Conte feels he has taken the current team as far as it can go and is reported to have demanded an overhaul of the side to continue. Negotiations are due to take place early next week.
Victor Ibarbo nearly spoiled the party when his drive was turned away by Gianluigi Buffon in the opening minutes.
Juventus went ahead after Andrea Pirlo's free kick hit the underside of the crossbar and ricocheted into the net off Cagliari goalkeeper Silvestri. The goal was originally awarded to Pirlo by Serie A's official website, which later changed it to a Silvestri own goal.
Llorente tapped in the second from close range after Cagliari failed to clear a corner and Marchisio blasted the third after spinning past his marker with superb piece of close control in the penalty area.
Silvestri made a brilliant save to stop a low Kwadwo Asamoah shot just before halftime, before Juventus strolled through the second half.
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