Inter struggling ahead of Champions League quarterfinals, fall to Fiorentina

ROME (AP) — With a Champions League quarterfinal match against Benfica coming up, Inter Milan is in far-from-perfect form.

The Nerazzurri were beaten 1-0 at home by Fiorentina on Saturday for their third straight loss in Serie A.

Giacomo Bonaventura headed in a rebound early in the second half after Inter center forward Romelu Lukaku inexplicably missed a wide open close-range chance.

It was Fiorentina’s eighth straight win across all competitions, and the Viola extended their unbeaten run to 10 games.

Fiorentina, which faces Lech Poznan in the Europa Conference League quarterfinals, had gone 11 straight matches without beating Inter, with its previous victory over the Nerazzurri coming nearly six years ago.

Inter missed out on a chance to move into second and remained third, two points behind Lazio. Fiorentina moved up to eighth.

“It’s very disappointing,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “We need to work more, starting with me.”

Inter plays its first-leg match at Benfica on April 11.

JUVENTUS STREAK

Juventus beat relegation-threatened Hellas Verona 1-0 with a second-half goal from Moise Kean, who slotted the ball between two defenders from the center of the area.

It was Juventus’ fifth straight win between Serie A and the Europa League but the Bianconeri remained in seventh place — one spot below the places for Europe.

Juventus’ appeal of its 15-point penalty for false accounting will be heard on April 19.

ATALANTA EYES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Atalanta beat last-place Cremonese 3-1 to move up to fifth, just below the Champions League places, and level on points with fourth-place AC Milan.

Marten De Roon, Jeremie Boga and Ademola Lookman scored for Atalanta, while Daniel Ciofani converted a momentary equalizer for Cremonese.

Defending champion Milan visits runaway leader Napoli on Sunday.

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