Juventus battle through fog to win at Bologna, Roma down Atalanta

Juventus gave their hopes of reaching the Champions League a boost on Saturday after a hard-fought 2-0 win at Bologna following Roma’s thumping 4-1 victory at fancied Atalanta.

Goals in each half from Alvaro Morata and Juan Cuadrado ensured that Juve joined Roma at five points from the league’s top four positions.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side came away with the three points following a dogged performance at a ground which has proved tough terrain for some of Serie A’s leading sides and was enveloped in thick fog for almost the entire match.

Juve sit a sobering 12 points behind champions and league leaders Inter Milan, who crushed Salernitana 5-0 on Friday, but while a title challenge is almost certainly out of the question this year a place in Europe’s top club competition is something they can fight for.

How far Juve sit from their target come the end of the weekend depends on how injury-hit Napoli fare at fellow title-chasers AC Milan on Sunday night.

Luciano Spalletti’s team are fourth, a point away from Atalanta, but can go second with a win in northern Italy.

Morata pinched the lead for Juve on the break in the sixth minute, Spain forward finishing after launching the attack and blasting home following a give-and-go with Federico Bernadeschi.

ARR