Mario Pasalic celebrates scoring Atalanta's third goal against Sassuolo
Atalanta qualified for the Champions League for the first time on a dramatic final day of the Serie A season.
The Bergamo side, in their 112th year, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Roma all went into the final round of fixtures in contention for the final two spots.
However, it was Atalanta and Inter, in third and fourth at the start of the day, who took the places.
Atalanta recorded an easy home win over Sassuolo and Inter triumphed 2-1 over Empoli, who were relegated.
- Relive the dramatic final day of Serie A action
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta had in the previous two seasons flirted with the Champions League spots having previously finished in mid-table positions since their last promotion from Serie B in the 2010-11 season.
The club, with a modest budget, finished seventh in 2017-18 and fourth in the previous campaign, however only three Champions League spots were awarded to Italian sides back then.
The rules changed for this campaign and Atalanta took full advantage. Colombian Duvan Zapata, who finished as the club's top scorer this season with 23 goals, netted first in Sunday's match before forward Papu Gomez and midfielder Mario Pasalic, on loan from Chelsea, added the other two. The 77 goals they scored were the most of any side in the league.
Atalanta finished with 69 points, ahead of Inter on head-to-heads. Their coach Luciano Spalletti is set to be replaced by former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, and at times it seemed as if he would fail in his mission to leave the Nerazzurri with the parting gift of a Champions League spot.
They were well and truly out of the running when AC Milan went 2-0 up inside 23 minutes. Keita Balde's low drive in the second half put the issue back in their control before Empoli levelled with 14 minutes left to leave Inter in fifth spot, as it stood.
However, five minutes later Radja Nainggolan fired in after Matias Vecino's strike came off the post to relieve the tension. Empoli substitute Salih Ucan came close to denying Inter late on and saving his own club from the drop, but the home side hung on for victory.
AC ended their campaign in fifth with a 3-2 win at SPAL and Roma defeated Parma to take sixth place. They will both play in next season's Europa League.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Atalanta
95GolliniSubstituted forRossiat 90+3'minutes
5MasielloSubstituted forPasalicat 62'minutes
19Djimsiti
6Palomino
21Castagne
15de RoonBooked at 45mins
11Freuler
8Gosens
10GómezSubstituted forManciniat 90+3'minutes
72IlicicBooked at 38mins
91Zapata
Substitutes
1Berisha
7Reca
17Piccoli
22Pessina
23Mancini
31Rossi
41Ibañez da Silva
88Pasalic
99Barrow
Sassuolo
79Pegolo
21LirolaSubstituted forRaspadoriat 90+3'minutes
3Demiral
31FerrariBooked at 48mins
6Oliveira da SilvaBooked at 45mins
68Bourabia
4MagnanelliBooked at 83mins
32Duncan
25BerardiBooked at 45mins
73LocatelliSubstituted forDjuricicat 59'minutes
20BogaSubstituted forSernicolaat 85'minutes
Substitutes
2Santos da Silva Barbosa
8Ghion
9Djuricic
10Matri
17Sernicola
18Raspadori
19Odgaard
28Satalino
34Di Francesco
47Consigli
98Adjapong
99Brignola
Referee:
Daniele Doveri
Match Stats
Home TeamAtalantaAway TeamSassuolo
Possession
Home62%
Away38%
Shots
Home16
Away5
Shots on Target
Home6
Away2
Corners
Home7
Away4
Fouls
Home10
Away15
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Atalanta 3, Sassuolo 1.
Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Atalanta 3, Sassuolo 1.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'+3'
Substitution, Atalanta. Francesco Rossi replaces Pierluigi Gollini.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'+3'
Substitution, Atalanta. Gianluca Mancini replaces Alejandro Gómez.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'+3'
Substitution, Sassuolo. Giacomo Raspadori replaces Pol Lirola.
Posted at 90'
Foul by Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta).
Posted at 90'
Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 87'
Attempt saved. Filip Djuricic (Sassuolo) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alfred Duncan with a headed pass.
Posted at 86'
Corner, Sassuolo. Conceded by Robin Gosens.
SubstitutionPosted at 85'
Substitution, Sassuolo. Leonardo Sernicola replaces Jeremie Boga.
DismissalPosted at 83'
Second yellow card to Francesco Magnanelli (Sassuolo).
Posted at 82'
Attempt missed. Josip Ilicic (Atalanta) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Mario Pasalic.
Posted at 81'
Attempt missed. Mario Pasalic (Atalanta) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Berat Djimsiti with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 81'
Attempt blocked. Mario Pasalic (Atalanta) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Alejandro Gómez with a cross.
Posted at 80'
Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Gianmarco Ferrari.
Posted at 79'
Duván Zapata (Atalanta) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 79'
Foul by Pol Lirola (Sassuolo).
Posted at 76'
Attempt saved. Duván Zapata (Atalanta) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 75'
Duván Zapata (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 75'
Foul by Gianmarco Ferrari (Sassuolo).
Posted at 74'
Foul by Robin Gosens (Atalanta).
Posted at 74'
Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 72'
Robin Gosens (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 72'
Foul by Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo).
Goal!Posted at 65'
Goal! Atalanta 3, Sassuolo 1. Mario Pasalic (Atalanta) header from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alejandro Gómez with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 64'
Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Merih Demiral.
Posted at 62'
Robin Gosens (Atalanta) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 62'
Foul by Filip Djuricic (Sassuolo).
SubstitutionPosted at 62'
Substitution, Atalanta. Mario Pasalic replaces Andrea Masiello.
Posted at 59'
Attempt blocked. Gianmarco Ferrari (Sassuolo) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mehdi Bourabia with a cross.
Posted at 59'
Corner, Sassuolo. Conceded by Robin Gosens.
SubstitutionPosted at 59'
Substitution, Sassuolo. Filip Djuricic replaces Manuel Locatelli.
Posted at 58'
Foul by Remo Freuler (Atalanta).
Posted at 58'
Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 55'
Foul by Remo Freuler (Atalanta).
Posted at 55'
Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!Posted at 53'
Goal! Atalanta 2, Sassuolo 1. Alejandro Gómez (Atalanta) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the top right corner.
Posted at 53'
Attempt saved. Josip Ilicic (Atalanta) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marten de Roon.
Posted at 51'
Attempt missed. Alejandro Gómez (Atalanta) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Marten de Roon.
BookingPosted at 48'
Gianmarco Ferrari (Sassuolo) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Source: bbc.com