Soccer
Serie A weekend round-up: Juve join the party, Fiorentina finally win
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It was the last Serie A weekend before Christmas and it brought some festive cheer for those in Florence and Turin, with potential season-changing wins.
However, it was Roma who were the weekend's turkeys after failing once again to see off a top-six rival.
Here's a round-up of the big talking points from Serie A's matchday 16.
The Old Lady finally arrived
With the top three not in action this weekend, it gave the ideal opportunity for one of the chasing pack to close the gap at the top of the table.
Somewhat conveniently, the two nearest challengers were facing off against each other as Juventus hosted Roma, with both looking to join the title conversation.
In a tightly-contested encounter, it was Juve who scored a win that could potentially turn their season around, thanks to goals from Francisco Conceicao and Lios Openda.
Not only was it a victory that sees The Old Lady go within one point of their opponents and enter the European race for the first time this season, but it was a statement win that Luciao Spalletti badly needed.
So far, Juve had been functional and shown some small improvements under the former Italy boss.
But now, with the recent results against Bologna and Roma, it feels like Spalletti's Juventus have finally arrived, which could see an exciting second half to the season for the club.
As for Roma, although they were unlucky to suffer defeat, it's yet another defeat against one of their top six rivals, which for all the good we've seen from the team this season, has become their Achilles heel.
Fiorentina actually win a game
A little self-indulgent story. On the last day of the 1998-99 QPR beat Crystal Palace 6-0 to prevail in their survival battle against relegation to League One. It was an emphatic victory, but frustrating all the same, because where had this QPR team been all season, when they were hopelessly struggling to record wins?
That's exactly how I can imagine Fiorentina fans are feeling this morning. Sunday's 5-1 thrashing of Udinese was the Viola's first win of the campaign, and while they did it in style, where has this kind of performance been hiding in the previous 15 games?
True, some of the team's performances since Paolo Vanoli took over have shown signs that a win was coming, maybe not quite in this nature, but it's one that the club now has to build on.
Perhaps most encouraging was the brace from Moise Kean, who has struggled alongside the team, but if he get on a run now, then Fiorentina could start to find their way out of the mess they are still in at the bottom.
Improving Atalanta
The new manager bounce in at Atalanta has been as smooth as the fans would have liked, but the club are now finding some form under Raffaele Palladino.
Sunday's last-gasp win away at Genoa was their third victory in their last five, and they are now just three points off the division's top six as we head into the second half of the campaign.
Palladinho has got his side turning the draws, which was their main issue under Ivan Juric, into wins, even if it took a stoppage time goal from Isak Hien to defeat 10-man Genoa.
With Scamacca back amongst the goals and Lookman slowly playing his way back into form, Atalanta could be ones to watch in 2026.
Results from Serie A matchday 16
Saturday, December 13
- Lazio 0-0 Cremonese
- Juventus 2-1 Roma
Sunday, December 14
- Cagliari 2-2 Pisa
- Sassuolo 0-1 Torino
- Fiorentina 5-1 Udinese
- Genoa 0-1 Atalanta
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