MILAN, Italy: Juventus missed the chance to move into Serie A's Champions League positions on Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at fellow top four hopefuls Roma.
Igor Tudor's team stay fifth, level on 56 points with fourth-placed Bologna in a tight battle for a spot in Europe's elite club competition.
Eldor Shomurodov earned Roma a point four minutes after the break with his sixth goal of the season, cancelling out a superb volley crashed in by Manuel Locatelli shortly before half-time.
Tudor was brought in last month to get Juve into the Champions League, but Sunday's draw against a direct rival complicates matters in a six-team fight for two places, with Inter Milan and Napoli contesting the league title and almost certain of qualification.
Juve cannot afford to miss out on the Champions League given the club's recent negative financial history and the over 200 million euros ($217 million) invested in renewing the squad for Tudor's sacked predecessor Thiago Motta.
"Roma came into this came on a run of seven wins in a row and they were at home. A draw gives us confidence and shows we can grow even more," said Tudor.
The Turin giants will, however, move above Bologna on goal difference if Vincenzo Italiano's side lose at home to Napoli on Monday night, as Juve are only a place below in the table by virtue of having played a game more.
Just six points separate Fiorentina in eighth and third-placed Atalanta, who only lead Juve by two points after falling to a third straight defeat, 1-0 at home to sixth-placed Lazio.
Roma are three points behind Bologna in seventh after a draw which snapped a seven-match run of league wins but showed some encouraging signs for a difficult run-in.
Claudio Ranieri's rejuvenated team are unbeaten in 15 matches since losing to Como in mid-December and did well to bounce back from Locatelli's opener.
"It gives us confidence, it's a shame that we only got a point today but we move on," said Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who pushed Nicolas Gonzalez's header onto the crossbar in the 28th minute.
Roma face Lazio next weekend in what promises to be a particularly spicy derby, while off-form Atalanta welcome Bologna in another significant match. — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
