Serie A weekend review: Napoli reach the promised land as Sampdoria go down

With the Serie A title already won, the peninsula focused on the other pressing issues in the Italian top flights, as relegation issues and the battle for European places were settled in a decisive weekend. Sam Lewis looks back at all the action from the past two days.

After sealing the league last week in Rome, Milan lifted the trophy in front of their own fans this weekend after putting four past Cagliari in the domineering style that saw them end up as champions. Robinho scored a brace while Rino Gattuso and Clarence Seedorf got a goal each, before Kevin Prince Boateng, as promised, performed the Moonwalk a la Michael Jackson on the presentation stage at the San Siro, in a surprising display of flexibility and swagger. Seriously, the guy has rhythm.

There was a melancholy edge to the celebrations however, with a few Milan players perhaps playing their last game at San Siro, the likes of Seedorf and Andrea Pirlo unlikely to stay in Milan for next season.

Napoli also celebrated, drawing 1-1 with Inter to gain automatic Champions League qualification, a Walter Zuniga goal cancelling out Eto’o’s opener. The Partonepei managed to hold on, sending Naples into delirium: the last time the Southern club took part in football’s premier competition, a certain Diego Maradona led the line. A fantastic result for the tiny city of Naples, now rubbing shoulders with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid next season.

The battle for fourth spot is still alive, and will go down to the last game, as Udinese and Lazio both won – Udinese beating Chievo 2-0, a comfortable win over the Flying Donkeys, goals from Kwadwo Asamoah and Mauricio Isla sealing the three points, allowing Francesco Guidolin’s side to go into the last game in the driving seat for fourth.

Meanwhile, Udinese’s big rivals for fourth place, Lazio, beat Genoa despite a shaky first period. Hernanes bagged a brace, while Giuseppe Biava and Tommaso Rocchi made up the numbers to end the game on top. La Aquile went into the second half 1-1 but the “Prophet” Hernanes provided the quality to take Lazio to victory.

While Lazio and Udinese kept hopes alive, Roma and Juventus ended their own, both simultaneously falling to defeats at Catania and Parma respectively. The Gallarossi crashied out 2-1 to Diego Simeone’s Sicilians, who left it until the 95^th minute to seal the win and condemn the capital club to a season without the Champions League. Meanwhile Juventus are without Europe full stop, Sebastian Giovinco (ironically still technically a Juventus player) ending all prospects of continental football for the once feared giants.

Elsewhere in Serie A, Sampdoria were relegated, losing 2-1 to Palermo, an 85^th minute strike from Mauricio Pinilla the final nail in the Genoans’ coffin. It iss an amazing downturn from Samp, who last year sealed fourth thanks to the goals of Giampaolo Pazzini and the genius of Antonio Cassano, will now look wistfully at the Serie A status they really should have held onto.

On the subject of relegation, already doomed Bari failed to take rivals Lecce with them, who beat the Galetti 2-0, Jeda’s strike and an Anrdrea Masiello own goal sealing Lecce’s survival.

Elsewhere, Fiorentina couldn’t beat Bologna with the game ending 1-1. It condemns La Viola to mid-table mediocrity, whilst the Rossublu will be delighted just to be in the league, three point deduction and all. Cesena guaranteed Serie A survival with a 1-0 win over Brescia, who were already relegated.