Victories for Palermo and Napoli in Serie A on Sunday compounded Juventus’s loss in falling 2-1 at home to AS Roma the day before.
Juve’s eighth loss in 11 matches ensured they failed to climb back into the top four and with Napoli’s 2-0 win at Livorno the Turin giants now trail the Champions League places by four points.
And with Palermo cruising to a 3-0 home win over Fiorentina, Juve dropped to sixth as their miserable season – in which they crashed out of the Champions League group stages in December – continues to go from bad to worse.
Napoli’s 14th Serie A game without defeat – coach Walter Mazzarri has not lost a league match since taking over from sacked former Italy boss Roberto Donadoni in October – ensured they remain on course for a top four finish.
Argentine forward German Denis had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision in the first half but the visitors still turned around at the break a goal to the good.
That was thanks to a stunning Marco van Basten-style back post volley from Cristian Maggio in first half injury time, meeting Luca Cigarini’s cross with as sweet a strike as he has ever produced.
Livorno were awarded a second-half penalty for what television replays suggested was a clear dive as Martin Bergvold went down in the box three steps after the lightest brush of contact with Michele Pazienza.
However justice was done as Cristiano Lucarelli’s penalty was kicked away by goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis before the striker’s hurried follow-up went both high and wide.
Cigarini then curled home a free-kick in injury time after goalkeeper Alfonso Di Lucia was sent-off for handling outside his area and defender Davide Marchini had to go between the sticks as Livorno had used up their three substitutes.
In Sicily, Palermo remained in the Champions League hunt with a thrashing of one of their nearest rivals, Fiorentina.
Young Uruguayan striker Abel Hernandez opened the scoring, heading home after Fabrizio Miccoli’s shot crashed back off the bar.
The 19-year-old then nutmegged French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey for his second before Igor Budan’s volley sealed the victory in the second period.
It could have been worse for Juve as Cagliari would also have overtaken them had they won at rock-bottom Siena but they were held to a 1-1 draw in a match both teams finished with 10 men.
Bologna came from behind to beat Bari 2-1 and move four points clear of the relegation zone but Lazio, held 1-1 at home to Chievo, and Udinese, beaten 3-2 at home by Sampdoria, both remain hovering precariously just above it.
The big game of the day later in the evening is the eagerly-anticipated derby between the top two in Serie A, Inter and AC Milan.
