Roma and Atalanta dent UCL hopes with a draw
Roma and Atalanta were made to settle for a point apiece in a 1-1 draw in Serie A, a result which does little for either team in the battle for European qualification.
The lead-up to the game at Stadio Olimpico was dominated by a falling-out between Roma's senior advisor Claudio Ranieri and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who was up against the team he managed for a hugely successful nine-year period in Atalanta.
The Giallorossi showed spirit to earn a point from 1-0 down, but fourth-placed Juventus now has a chance to go five points clear of them in the race for a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League.
The first real attack by either team resulted in Atalanta going ahead, with Nikola Krstovic powering past Mile Svilar after being slipped in by Marten de Roon in the 12th minute.
Donyell Malen drew two saves from Marco Carnesecchi, the first of them an excellent recovery stop at close quarters, before Roma levelled in the final minute of the first half, with Mario Hermoso volleying into the roof of the net from Devyne Rensch's knockdown.
The hosts were dominant throughout the second half, but Carnesecchi remained alert to deny Stephan El Shaarawy and Malen with near-post saves, and Lorenzo Venturino nodded over the top.
The closest Roma came to a winner was in the 75th minute, when a looping Hermoso header bounced off the top of the crossbar with Carnesecchi scrambling, as the hosts dropped two potentially valuable points.
They remain sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Como, which was beaten 2-1 by Sassuolo, while Atalanta is four points back in seventh.
