The highest-scoring round of fixtures since Serie A returned to 20 teams saw shock results and the first official relegation.
While Roma and Juventus both won, meaning there was no change in the Scudetto race, there was plenty of intrigue elsewhere in the League.
Here’s what we learned from Week 33.
The highest-scoring round of fixtures since Serie A returned to 20 teams saw shock results and the first official relegation.
While Roma and Juventus both won, meaning there was no change in the Scudetto race, there was plenty of intrigue elsewhere in the League.
Here’s what we learned from Week 33.
Goodbye Pescara
Last night’s 4-1 defeat to Roma officially condemned the Delfini to relegation, Zdenek Zeman’s side going straight back down to Serie B.
Having replaced Massimo Oddo in February, the Czech Coach has hinted that he’ll remain with Pescara for next season to try and bring them back up.
His last Serie B season at the Adriatico brought 90 goals in 42 games as the Delfini won the title.
Admittedly that side contained the likes of Marco Verratti, Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile, but if Zeman stays, entertainment should at least be guaranteed next term.
Patrik Schick is the real deal
Patrik Schick has scored 12 goals for the Blucerchiati this season, attracting interest from the likes of Everton, Inter and Juventus.
However, most of his strikes have come from the bench, earning him the ‘super sub’ tag but casting doubt on his ability to lead the line from the start.
This weekend though, the Czech striker proved his quality with a genuine stunner against Crotone. The 21-year-old received the ball with his back to goal, flicked it around his marker and slammed the ball into the net.
Tall, quick, skilful and clinical: Schick is the real deal.
Dennis #Bergkamp who?
Meet Patrik #Schick. pic.twitter.com/AMhKsTMVe4
— Sampdoria English (@sampdoria_en) April 24, 2017
Lazio look like Europa League certainties
Defeat to Napoli and then a draw at Genoa raised hopes among the Europa League chasers that Lazio were stuttering just as the season entered its final phase.
Those hopes have all-but disappeared after Sunday’s stunning win over Palermo, featuring a hat-trick from Keita Baldé Diao.
Next week’s Derby della Capitale with Roma kicks-off a tough run-in for Simone Inzaghi’s side, but the Aquile now look certainties for the Europa League.
If they fail to win the Coppa Italia final against Juventus, sixth place would become the final Europa League spot. With Lazio currently in fourth, eight points ahead of seventh-placed Inter, it would take a spectacular collapse for them to miss out now.
Crotone can’t catch a break
This weekend was seen as a crucial one for the Squali’s promotion hopes, and Davide Nicola’s side kept up their end of the bargain.
Despite falling behind to Schick’s wonder goal, Crotone fought back to claim a crucial win only to come off the pitch and find Empoli had won at San Siro against Milan.
The Serie A debutants now have three wins and a draw from their last four games, but the gap remains at five points and they still have to play Milan, Juventus and Lazio.
Empoli have an easier run-in, and it’s hard to see Crotone picking up enough points to overhaul them.
Fiorentina and Inter’s weaknesses clear to see
Fiorentina and Inter served up one of the games of the season, but also gave a perfect illustration of why both are struggling to even reach the Europa League.
Nerazzurri Coach Stefano Pioli has lamented a lack of concentration from his players in recent weeks, and a 2-1 lead turned into a 5-2 deficit.
Having blown a 3-0 aggregate lead against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Europa League, the Viola showed the same fragility in allowing the visitors back into the game, eventually hanging on for 5-4.
A fantastic match for the neutral, but fans of both sides will have recognised familiar failings.