Napoli draw all but hands title to Juventus

Napoli players. Pic/AFP

Juventus are practically assured of winning a seventh successive Serie A title after second-placed Napoli were held 2-2 by Torino today. Juventus have a six-point lead in Serie A with two games left to play. Both teams are equal in head-to-head clashes but Juventus are well ahead of their southern rivals on goal difference.

The now need just one point to officially retain their crown with games to come against Roma in the Stadio Olimpico and already-relegated Verona in Turin. Torino twice battled back from a goal down to steal a point from Maurizio Sarri's Napoli side who had been bidding for a first title since the days of Argentina legend Diego Maradona in 1987 and 1990.

Dries Mertens celebrated his 31st birthday by putting Napoli ahead after 25 minutes after a shocking defensive error by Torino's Nicolas Burdisso, with skipper Marek Hamsik coming off the bench to add a second for the hosts after 71 minutes. But Torino dug deep with Daniele Baselli pulling the visitors level 10 minutes into the second half and Lorenzo De Silvestri heading in seven minutes from time to cancel out Hamsik's goal. Juventus had recovered from a goal down to beat Bologna 3-1 yesterday to open up a seven-point lead, with Napoli losing 3-0 last weekend in Fiorentina. Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus would have to lose their final two matches and Napoli to achieve high-scoring wins against Sampdoria and Crotone to make up the goal difference.

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