Milan: Four-time defending champions Juventus suffered a stunning 0-3 quarterfinal reverse against Atalanta to crash out of the Coppa Italia while AS Roma suffered a humiliating 1-7 thrashing at the hands of Fiorentina.
Juventus had been bidding for a fifth consecutive league and Cup double this season. But a Duvan Zapata brace after Timothy Castagne’s opener Wednesday put the side from Bergamo through to a semifinal meeting with Fiorentina.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus won their first trophy of the season in the Italian Super Cup this month. Massimiliano Allegri’s side had come from behind against Lazio in league action at the weekend with Ronaldo snatching a 2-1 win in Rome.
The Portuguese superstar could not find a way through for a first Cup goal in Italy with Juventus also hit by defender Giorgio Chiellini going off injured in the first half-hour.
Castagne opened the scoring after 37 minutes with Zapata grabbing another two minutes later, before adding a third four minutes from time for his 17th goal in 10 matches.
“It’s only human not to always be top. Now let’s put this behind us and think about the next Serie A match against Parma,” said Allegri, who was banished from the touchline for dissent. “This evening everything went wrong, but it would have been crazy to think we could win every match.”
Earlier in Tuscany, Federico Chiesa scored a hat-trick as Fiorentina crushed a ‘shameful’ Roma side. The other goals were scored by Giovanni Simeone (2), Luis Muriel and Marco Benassi (one each).
AFP
