Italy were shocked by North Macedonia in a catastrophic World Cup play-off, while Milan led Serie A and Juventus and Inter both exited the Champions League.
Tammy Abraham set a new goal record at Roma and a new star was born at Atalanta in a month stained by appalling behaviour from Verona and Cagliari ultras.
Italy stunned by North Macedonia in World Cup play-off
The Azzurri failed to qualify for a second successive World Cup on a disastrous night to forget at Stadio Renzo Barbera. The European Champions were humbled by underdogs North Macedonia in a largely one-sided play-off in Palermo.
World Cup Play-Offs | Italy 0-1 North Macedonia: Azzurri fail again
Despite registering 32 mostly wayward shots on goal and holding the majority of possession, Italy lacked conviction in attack, in-form Sassuolo winger Domenico Berardi missed an open goal while a host of others badly underperformed.
Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile were among those criticised for below par displays as Italy resembled a hesitant, toothless group of individuals far removed from the cohesive team which claimed a memorable victory at Euro 2020.
Former Palermo attacker Aleksandar Trajkovski claimed the only goal two minutes into added on time for North Macedonia with a powerful low shot which evaded Gianluigi Donnarumma.
National team coach Roberto Mancini refused to resign in the aftermath of the calamitous loss. The 57-year-old confirmed he would stay in his position before Italy defeated Turkey 3-2 in a lucrative but meaningless friendly just five days after the shock play-off defeat. Mancini vowed to make amends for the World Cup no show and gave starts to Sandro Tonali, Giacomo Raspadori, Gianluca Scamacca and Nicolò Zaniolo in Konya. Roma’s Bryan Cristante headed the Azzurri level after a Donnarumma howler and Raspadori showed glimpses of his undoubted talent by netting twice as Italy claimed a hollow victory following their World Cup exit.
Milan edge ahead at the top of Serie A
The Rossoneri established a three-point advantage at the top of the Classifica, recording three single goal league victories in March.
French striker Olivier Giroud netted the winner as Milan triumphed in a tension-filled showdown at Stadio Diego Maradona against Napoli.
Defender Pierre Kalulu curled home a sublime goal as Stefano Pioli’s side edged past Empoli at San Siro; the French centre-back was not only an unlikely scorer but a key figure as Milan continued to enhance their title credentials.
Serie A | Cagliari 0-1 Milan: Bennacer and crossbar decisive in Sardinia
In a game marred by racist chanting from the stands, Algerian midfielder Ismaël Bennacer’s breathtaking volley proved the difference at Cagliari as Milan kept their position in first place.
Napoli finished the month in second position despite losing against Scudetto rivals Milan on home turf. It was a spectacular March for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen who struck doubles as the Partenopei defeated Verona away and Udinese at home both by 2-1 margins to remain in title contention. The Nigeria international was named March’s Player Of The Month in Serie A.
Inter fired five past bottom of the table Salernitana thanks to a Lautaro Martinez hat-trick and two from strike partner Edin Džeko, yet lost ground on the leaders after a controversial draw at Torino and a stalemate at San Siro against Fiorentina. The Nerazzurri were third, six points adrift of city rivals Milan with a game in hand as Juventus continued their ascent following a dismal start to the campaign.
Serie A | Inter 1-1 Fiorentina: Dumfries can only rescue a point
Spanish attacker Alvaro Morata scored the only goal as the Bianconeri defeated Spezia and then claimed two more as Juve won 3-1 at Sampdoria. Paulo Dybala, who looks set to leave the Turin giants after new contract talks broke down, and Dusan Vlahovic were both on target as the Old Lady eased past Salernitana to maintain fourth place in the standings.
Atalanta and Roma were tied on 51 points in fifth and sixth in the table, eight behind Juve in the race for the final Champions League spot.
Meanwhile, Genoa recorded their first win under coach Alexander Blessin after an incredible run of seven draws. Manolo Portanova’s first-half goal was enough to break the winless streak against Torino at Marassi, although Genoa remained stuck in the relegation places along with Venezia and Salernitana at the conclusion of the month.
Juventus humbled by Villarreal, Atalanta and Roma progress in Europe
The Bianconeri crashed out of the Champions League at the round of 16 stage for the third year in succession as Spaniards Villarreal registered a humiliatingly emphatic three-goal second leg win in Turin.
Juve were expected to progress after a creditable draw in Spain yet fell apart in the final 12 minutes, conceding two penalties and three goals in a defensive display of astonishing ineptness.
‘Huge shock’ – The verdict on Allegri and Juventus after Champions League elimination
Inter also bowed out of the Champions League but at least salvaged some pride in defeating Liverpool at Anfield. Lautaro Martinez volleyed in a sublime winner, however the damage was done in a profligate first leg as the English side claimed two goals to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
It was not all doom and gloom for Italian sides in Europe as both Atalanta and Roma made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League and Europa Conference League respectively. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side overcame Germans Bayer Leverkusen, edging a thrilling first leg 3-2 in Bergamo before Jeremie Boga’s magnificent solo effort late on in the second leg sealed a creditable aggregate victory.
Europa League | Bayer Leverkusen 0-1 Atalanta: Boga books quarter-final spot
The Giallorossi defeated Dutch side Vitesse; Sérgio Oliveira claiming the only goal away in the first leg before being sent off and Tammy Abraham netting a dramatic late equaliser in Rome to ensure Jose Mourinho’s team advanced.
Verona and Cagliari ultras shame Italian football
As football clubs across Italy and beyond united to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a section of the Verona ultras appeared to be on another planet.
Prior to the Gialloblu’s home match against Napoli on March 13 a sickening banner was hung outside the Curva Sud at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.
It featured the flags of Russia and Ukraine above the coordinates of the city of Napoli and left little to the imagination.
The repugnant notion that Russia should make Napoli a military target was universally denounced throughout Italy as Verona ultras again disgraced themselves.
Photo: Verona ultras display shocking anti-Napoli banner referencing Ukraine war
Cagliari ultras also tarnished the reputation of Italian football after racially abusing Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and defender Fiyako Tomori. Racist chants and insults were aimed at both Maignan and Tomori by home fans after the final whistle following the Rossoneri’s victory at Unipol Domus.
The incident was depressing enough yet occurred in a week when Serie A promoted a campaign to eliminate racism from Calcio. Cagliari ultras were also accused of racially abusing Juventus striker Moise Kean and Inter’s Romelu Lukaku in a series of shameful incidents in Sardinia.
Abraham excels for Roma, dream debut for Cissé at Atalanta
English attacker Tammy Abraham made history at Roma by setting a new goals record in a debut campaign at the club.
The 24-year-old took his tally to 23 in 40 games in all competitions after netting four goals in March to move above legendary strikers Gabriel Batistuta and Vincenzo Montella in the record books.
Abraham was in great form throughout the month, scoring the winner against Atalanta and ensuring Europa Conference League progress with a crucial late leveller against Dutch side Vitesse. The former Chelsea forward endeared himself to Roma Tifosi for life with two goals in the Derby della Capitale as Jose Mourinho’s side overwhelmed Lazio 3-0 in a memorable game for the England international.
Abraham was already well known before his move to Italy last summer but even those with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Italian game would have been unaware of Moustapha Cissé.
The 18-year-old was playing in the eighth tier for a team of refugees and asylum seekers in Lecce before an unlikely transfer to the Atalanta youth academy in February.
Cisse’ scores on Atalanta debut a month after playing for refugees team
The Guinea-born forward impressed for the Bergamo club’s Primavera scoring against Milan and Napoli before an injury crisis led to a shock call up to Gian Piero Gasperini’s first-team. Cissé was only on the field for 17 minutes when he capped off a memorable debut to coolly slot home the winner for Atalanta at Bologna in his first Serie A game at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.