Kenan Yildiz’s equaliser six minutes from time completed an extraordinary Juventus comeback as the Serie A heavyweights recovered from 3-0 behind to draw at Bologna and keep alive their hopes of overhauling their opponents into third place on the final day of the Italian season.
Bologna’s impressive campaign continued apace when Riccardo Calafiori fired the hosts ahead after two minutes and Santiago Castro converted from Dan Ndoye’s cross nine minutes later.
Calafiori broke clear and sent a delicate dink over Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to make it 3-0 eight minutes after the break as Bologna – unbeaten in eight previous matches – compounded interim manager’s Paolo Montero misery.
Read our other sports news stories:
The key tasks facing Slot at Liverpool
Slot: Liverpool offer ‘difficult to ignore’
Liverpool confirm Slot arrival
When Federico Chiesa capitalised on wastefulness from Bologna to strike from the edge of the penalty area with 14 minutes remaining, it looked unlikely to be the start of a storming rescue act by Juve.
Arkadiusz Milik curled in a free-kick with seven minutes remaining, though, and Yildiz pickpocketed Sam Beukema to level almost immediately.
Bologna v Juventus: Goals galore
Both teams have already qualified for the Uefa Champions League, and the result means they will start the closing round of games level on points, Bologna third by virtue of a three-goal superiority.
Juventus are at home to 12th-placed Monza on Saturday, a day after Bologna visit 11th-placed Genoa. Atalanta, whose Champions League place is all-but sealed, are two points behind the sides with an extra match to play.
What an end to the night in Bologna! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gHrrhTPZ39
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2024
“It’s a shame about the match,” Bologna president Joey Saputo told DAZN (via Calcio Mercato) afterwards, discussing the club’s imminent debut Champions League campaign.
“It would have been a beautiful way to end the season at Dall’Ara, but it was fantastic. It was a beautiful season. At the beginning of the season, we never thought we would be in this position.
“I can’t even think about [Europe] now. We worked hard. Getting here was easy, staying will be more difficult but we will do everything to continue this path.”
Saputo was asked about the prospect of persuading manager Thiago Motta, who is being pursued by Juve, to stay. “We will do everything,” he said. “We will meet during the week.”
Juve sacked Allegri two days after their Italian Cup final win over Atalanta, citing “certain behaviours deemed incompatible with the values of Juventus”.
The Italian was sent off in the final for shouting at match officials and appeared to wave off the club’s sporting director after the final whistle.
