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Serie A roundup: Lecce keep survival hopes alive while relegating Brescia

The future of last season's Serie B champions had looked bleak for some time.

Brescia were relegated from Serie A following a 3-1 defeat which keeps alive Lecce's own outside hopes of survival.

The future of last season's Serie B champions, who are run by former Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, had looked bleak for some time.

Their fate was left hanging by a thread following a first-half brace from Lecce striker Gianluca Lapadula.

Liverpool v Leeds United – EFL Cup – Quarter Final – Anfield
Brescia, owned by Massimo Cellino, have been relegated from Serie A (Martin Rickett/PA)

Daniele Dessena pulled one back but, on the night Cellino's old club were lifting the Sky Bet Championship title at Elland Road, Riccardo Saponara put the result beyond doubt to condemn the visitors to an immediate return to the second tier.

Lecce, who were promoted behind Brescia last term, picked up only a second win from 11 fixtures but they remain four points from safety with just three games to go after 17th-placed Genoa beat fierce rivals Sampdoria 2-1.

Denmark midfielder Lukas Lerager claimed a 72nd-minute winner in the Derby della Lanterna at Stadio Luigi Ferraris after having an earlier effort disallowed by VAR.

Domenico Criscito put Genoa ahead in the Derby della Lanterna against Sampdoria
Domenico Criscito put Genoa ahead in the Derby della Lanterna against Sampdoria (Tano Pecoraro/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa, Italy's oldest professional football club, had led through Domenico Criscito's 22nd-minute penalty before former Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini levelled before the break.

At the top, Inter's slim hopes of overhauling leaders Juventus were hindered by a goalless draw against Fiorentina.

Antonio Conte's third-placed side are assured of a place in next season's Champions League but sit seven points adrift of reigning champions Juve after failing to break down mid-table opposition at San Siro.

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku endured frustration against Fiorentina
Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku endured frustration against Fiorentina (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Roma climbed to fifth on the back of a thumping 6-1 success at relegated SPAL.

Goals from Nikola Kalinic and Carles Perez, either side of Alberto Cerri's leveller for the division's bottom club, put Paulo Fonseca's men on course to extend their unbeaten run to five games.

Aleksandar Kolarov, a double from Bruno Peres and substitute Nicolo Zaniolo completed an emphatic scoreline.

Coppa Italia winners Napoli remain seventh after a 2-1 loss at Parma in a game of three penalties.

Midfielder Dejan Kulusevski claimed the hosts' 87th-minute winner from 12 yards after spot-kicks from Parma's Gianluca Caprari and Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne cancelled each other out.

Elsewhere, Simone Zaza earned Torino a 1-1 draw with Verona by equalising following a penalty from former Liverpool and Sunderland player Fabio Borini.

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Inter Milan players celebrate with Ashley Young after he scored their opening goal in a win over Brescia
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1SassuoloSassuolo17124138142440
2Pisa17114232161637
3SpeziaSpezia1797127101734
4Cremonese177462319425
5Cesena177462724325
6Juve StabiaJuve Stabia176741920-125
7BariBari175932016424
8CatanzaroCatanzaro1741122218423
9Palermo175661715221
10Modena174852121020
11Brescia175572023-320
12Carrarese175571419-520
13Mantova174761822-419
14Reggiana174671619-318
15Sampdoria174672127-618
16Salernitana174581926-717
17Cosenza CalcioCosenza174851719-216
18FrosinoneFrosinone173771323-1016
19SudtirolSudtirol1742111731-1414
20Cittadella173591029-1914


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