Milan (AFP) – Four-time defending champions Juventus crashed out of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday with a 3-0 quarter-final defeat by Atalanta, as AS Roma suffered a humiliating 7-1 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 put the side from Bergamo through to a semi-final meeting with Fiorentina.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus won their first trophy of the season in the Italian Super Cup this month.
But they suffered their first defeat in a domestic competition this season, as they ride high and unbeaten in Serie A.
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.
But 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.
The Colombian ace also scored a double in a 2-2 draw when the sides last met in Serie A on December 26.
“It’s only human not to always be top,” said Allegri, who was banished from the touchline for dissent.
“I don’t know how many games the lads have won. In Rome we had a terrible first half but we fought back. This evening everything went wrong.
“It would have been crazy to think we could win every match. It hurts to go out because we really wanted this trophy.
“Atalanta deserved their win. They were better and showed their mental strength.”
– ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry’ –
Earlier in Tuscany Federico Chiesa scored a hat-trick as Fiorentina crushed a “shameful” Roma side.
Chiesa scored two early on, adding a third in the second half past overwhelmed Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen, with Giovanni Simeone bagging a brace in the last ten minutes.
Colombian Luis Muriel and Marco Benassi also found the net against a Roma side who were reeling after throwing away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Atalanta at the weekend in Serie A.
“I’m bitter, but I won’t quit,” said Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco.
“I’m disappointed in the team, there are no excuses.
“I struggle to explain what happened, as it was a game we got wrong in every conceivable way. It was shameful.”
from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2FZm8rW
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