Milan hit new low, Juventus go second

MILAN– 17 December 2017: AC Milan's miserable season hit a new low when they slumped to a 3-0 loss at struggling Verona in Serie A on Sunday, two days after UEFA expressed concern over the club's financial situation.

Juventus had no such problems as they won 3-0 at Bologna to overhaul Inter Milan and go second, one point behind leaders Napoli who won 3-1 at Torino on Saturday.

Antonio Caracciolo, Moise Kean and Daniel Bessa scored for Verona who are 17th in the table and had previously won only two league games this season. Milan's bad day was completed when Suso was sent off in the last minute.

Milan, who beat Verona by the same score in a Coppa Italia match four days ago, have managed one win, one draw and one defeat in their three games league since former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso was appointed as coach.

Seven-times European champions Milan, under Chinese ownership since April, spent over 200 million euros in the last transfer window in an attempt to re-establish themselves as a force in Serie A.

The defeat came two days after UEFA had rejected Milan's request for a voluntary agreement that would have temporarily exempted the club from European football's breakeven rule known as Financial Fair Play.

UEFA said there were "still uncertainties in relation to the financing of the loans to be paid back in October 2018 and the financial guarantees provided by the main shareholder".

Caracciolo was given far too much freedom by the Milan defence as he headed in from Romulo's corner in the 24th minute, the ball hitting the bar and going in off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Kean scored the second after Bessa pulled the ball back 10 minutes after halftime and Bessa added the third in the 77th minute, stroking the ball home from Romulo's pass after the Brazilian burst down the right unchallenged.

Suso was sent off for kicking Daniele Verde, who was on the ground, in a decision made with the help of the video replay.

Miralem Pjanic put Juventus ahead against Bologna in the 27th minute when he curled a free kick over the wall and into the top corner at the near post.

The Bosnian also set up Mario Mandzukic for the second nine minutes later and Blaise Matuidi completed the scoring with a half-volley from the edge of the area in the second half, the Frenchman's first goal for the club.

Juventus have 41 points, one more than Inter who lost their unbeaten record in a 3-1 home defeat by Udinese on Saturday.

Fiorentina missed a chance to go above Milan when they were held 0-0 at home by Genoa.

An early goal by Arlind Ajeti gave Crotone a 1-0 win over Chievo, their first under Walter Zenga, to end a run of four successive league defeats.

Sassuolo snatched a last-minute win at Sampdoria through Alessandro Matri, seven minutes after team mate Matteo Politano had a penalty saved by Samp goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.