On-song Immobile helps Lazio stay hot on Juve’s heels
ROME: Lazio kept their bid for a first Serie A title in 20 years on track as they stayed one point behind leaders Juventus with a 3-2 win at Genoa on Sunday.
Reigning champions Juve had edged out bottom club SPAL 2-1 on Saturday, but Lazio responded to keep the pressure on, extending their unbeaten away run in the league to 20 games.
Third-placed Inter Milan, who are six points behind Juve, saw their game on Sunday at the San Siro against the other Genoese club, Sampdoria, postponed, with Thursday’s Europa League match against Bulgarian club Ludogorets at risk, along with next weekend’s league clash with Juventus in Turin.
On the pitch in Genoa, Lazio’s Ciro Immobile netted his 27th Serie A goal of the campaign.
The Italian striker pulled six goals clear of Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo in the scoring charts.
“We’re doing something great. The lads know it and I’m not hiding from saying it,” Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi said.
“We are there in the chase and we will try to fight.” FELIX BACK WITH A BANG Atletico Madrid followed up their surprise win over Liverpool by beating Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday as Joao Felix marked his return from injury with a first league goal since September.
Felix came off the bench at the Wanda Metropolitano after almost a month out with an ankle problem and the 20-year-old looked refreshed as he drove in Atletico’s third in an impressive 3-1 victory. Atletico are 12 points adrift of leaders Barcelona. NEYMAR SENT OFF Edinson Cavani scored his 200th Paris Saint-Germain goal and Marquinhos netted twice as the Ligue 1 leaders beat Bordeaux 4-3 on Sunday, but their victory was marred by Neymar’s late sending-off.
The evening concluded with Neymar being sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card for grappling with Bordeaux’s Yacine Adli.
“He is human too and he was angry. The guy who fouled him just before was not even booked, so it was a bit bizarre,” said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel of Neymar’s sending-off.