SPAL put Juve title celebrations on hold�� Kessie keeps AC Milan fourth

MILAN: Juventus slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly SPAL on Saturday to put their Serie A title celebrations on hold, while Franck Kessie scored from the spot to keep AC Milan in the Champions League places with a 1- 0 win over Lazio.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side had needed just a point to claim their eighth Scudetto in a row with a record six games to spare, and they looked on track to seal the title when young gun Moise Kean stuck his foot out to direct a Joao Cancelo effort home after half an hour in Ferrara.

However Kevin Bonifazi and Sergio Floccari responded with two precious second-half goals which moved lowly SPAL seven points clear of the relegation zone.

“Making records is very difficult, it takes energy and there is also Europe to concentrate on,” said Allegri, who rested key players including Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final decider against Ajax in Turin.

“If we had put all our regulars in it would have been easier to win it, but there is also the goal to obtain on Tuesday.”

Juventus have a 20 - point advantage on second-placed Napoli and can still seal the title in record time on Sunday if Carlo Ancelotti’s side fail to win at bottom club Chievo.

Ronaldo was rested for the second time this season and the club fell to just their second defeat of the campaign.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner returned from a thigh injury during the week to score an away goal in the first leg of their tie with against Ajax, which ended 1-1 on Wednesday.

Defender Leonardo Bonucci was also rested along with Blaise Matuidi, Alex Sandro, Mario Mandzukic and Miralem Pjanic, with forward Federico Bernardeschi coming off the bench late in the game.

Mattia Perin replaced Wojciech Szczesny in the Juventus goal with Kean getting his second start alongside Paulo Dybala up front.

Seventeen-year- old defender Paolo Gozzi and midf ielder Grigoris Kastanos, 21, were given their first starts.

“We paid a l it t le for our inexperience,” said Allegri. “We played with a lot of youngsters. I regret this defeat because I think the match deserved more a draw than a loss.”

Kean broke the deadlock when he redirected a tame Juan Cancelo drive, thrusting out his right boot to turn the ball beyond Emiliano Viviano.

The Italy international became the youngest player to score in four consecutive Serie A matches, having scored six in as many games, and played in just eight this season. — AFP