JUVENTUS face a desperate battle to get into next year’s Champions League.
The Italian giants were thumped 3-0 at home by AC Milan at the weekend, a result that sees them OUT of the top four.
Those places qualify for the Champions League, with fifth-place Juve in the Europa League spot currently.
Missing out on playing in Europe’s premier competition next season would be a bitter blow for Cristiano Ronaldo and team-mates.
And it could well end up costing Juve boss Andrea Pirlo his job.
Juventus are one point off fourth-placed Napoli, both having played the same amount of games on 35.
The Old Lady are five clear of Lazio in sixth, though played a game more.
Two of Juventus’ last three league games will be seen as ‘winnable’ ones – the other being against already-crowned champions Inter.
They travel to take on Sassuolo on Wednesday, May 12, then host champs Inter on Saturday May 15.
Pirlo then leads his troops into the Coppa Italia final against Atalanta on May 19, the winners guaranteed that Europa League spot.
But Atalanta are second in Serie A and three ahead of Juve so that is far from a given.
The last game of the season is at home to Bologna, safely in mid-table.
Of course, should results go their way Juve could finish in second, with just three points separating four teams.
But their nine-in-a-row title run is over, despite having stars like Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Adrien Rabiot and Alvaro Morata in their ranks.
THE RACE FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Here are the remaining fixtures for the contenders going for three Champions League spots…
Atalanta (2nd) – 72 points
Benevento (H), May 12
Genoa (A) – May 15
AC Milan (May 23)
AC Milan (3rd) – 72 points
Torino (A) – May 12
Cagliari (H), May 16
Atalanta (A), May 23
Napoli (4th) – 70 points
Udinese (H), May 11
Fiorentina (A), May 16
Verona (H), May 23
Juventus (5th) – 69 points
Sassuolo (A), May 12
Inter Milan (H), May 15
Bologna (A), May 23
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk