Atalanta clinched a spot in the UEFA Champions League on Monday, defeating Roma 2-1 and securing their place in Serie A’s top four. The win, which moved Atalanta to third, came thanks to a 76th-minute goal from Ibrahim Sulemana. With two matches left in the season, Atalanta is now seven points ahead of fifth-placed Lazio.
The match saw Ademola Lookman put Atalanta ahead early, before Bryan Cristante equalized for Roma in the 32nd minute. However, Sulemana’s late strike ended Roma’s 19-match unbeaten streak and dashed their hopes of catching Lazio and Juventus, who currently occupy the fourth spot.
Roma will still fight for a Champions League spot, but face a tough challenge next weekend against AC Milan, while Juventus hosts Udinese. Reaching the Champions League would be a huge triumph for Ranieri as Roma looked like relegation candidates when he came out of retirement in November to take charge of his boyhood club for the third time.
Gasperini has been tipped to take over Ranieri after nine hugely successful years in the Atalanta dugout, winning the Europa League last season.
