European roundup: Inter slump to defeat again as Barça extend lead

Internazionale lost more ground in the race to finish second in Serie A after they slumped to their third successive defeat when they were beaten 1-0 at home by Fiorentina. While Napoli hold a 19-point advantage over second-placed Lazio, Inter could have pulled level with Maurizio Sarri’s side on 52 points had they won.

“There is great disappointment, we lost two consecutive home matches. We need to work more, starting with me,” Inter’s manager, Simone Inzaghi, said. “Fiorentina are a quality squad, the lads did all they could. It’s just like this at the moment, we need to be more determined, because we had so many chances to score and we should’ve taken them.”

Fiorentina could have taken the lead after 12 minutes but a brilliant double save from André Onana kept out Gaetano Castrovilli’s volley. Inter then missed a gilt-edged chance after 20 minutes when Henrikh Mkhitaryan shot straight at the goalkeeper, Pietro Terracciano, with the follow-up overhead kick hitting the side-netting.

Romelu Lukaku could have put Inter ahead four minutes into the second half but the Belgian failed to tap in a cross from six yards. Fiorentina’s Giacomo Bonaventura was then in the right place after a rebound from a corner and headed the ball into the net from close range to give his side the lead after 53 minutes.

Inter squandered a chance to draw level six minutes later, with Nicolò Barella’s powerful half-volley from the edge of the box hitting the bar. They remain third with 50 points, with fourth-placed Milan only two points behind and with a game in hand – but that is away at Napoli today.

Juventus needed a goal by Moise Kean to seal a 1-0 home win over Hellas Verona on Saturday and stay in the hunt for a top-six finish and a place in