Rome: Champions League semi-final hero Alvaro Morata struck late as Juventus snatched a 2-1 ‘Derby d’Italia’ win to compound Inter Milan’s bid for a place in next season’s Europa League.Roberto Mancini’s under achievers welcomed the Turin giants to the San Siro looking for the three points that would have kept their European bid firmly on track.But the Nerazzurri’s failure to overhaul what was a second-string Bianconeri side has left them in eighth position, two points behind Sampdoria in the last Europa League spot.
The only positive note for Inter came from Lazio’s 1-0 win away at Samp, meaning the Nerazzurri still have a slim chance to sneak into the top six.Inter are away to Genoa and then host Empoli in their final two games while Samp are away to Empoli then host already-relegated Parma.Morata, who levelled for Juve in a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid last week to secure a Champions League final spot against Barcelona in Berlin, hit the winner seven minutes from time after teammate Claudio Marchisio had struck from the spot to level Mauro Icardi’s early opener.
“I was a bit lucky, but that’s football,” said the Spaniard, who celebrated by donning a pair of dark sunglasses.“The sunglasses were just there, I don’t know where they came from. (Leonardo) Bonucci handed them to me and I put them on,” he added.Inter coach Mancini said their Europa dream was virtually over.“In terms of the Europa League we couldn’t afford to lose this game, but only results count in football and we didn’t produce the right one,” he said. “You have to win by scoring goals and we just weren’t clinical enough,” he added.
