Atalanta win to claim Champions League place for first time

Atalanta qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history on Sunday, coming from behind to guarantee their place with a 3-1 win over Sassuolo in a match marred by a brawl.

Domenico Berardi gave Sassuolo a shock lead in the 19th minute but Duvan Zapata scrambled the ball home to equalise in the 35th minute. Berardi was then sent off following the brawl at the end of the first half.

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Atalanta captain Alejandro Gómez put his side ahead eight minutes after the restart and Mario Pasalic headed in from a Gómez cross in the 65th minute. Atalanta finished third in Serie A with 69 points, ahead of Internazionale on their head-to-head record, and one point in front of Milan, who missed out.

Sassuolo ended the game with nine men when Francesco Magnanelli was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 83rd minute.

Roma beat Parma 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday to end the season in sixth place as their captain Daniele de Rossi made his final appearance for the club.

Lorenzo Pellegrini gave Roma the lead in the first half but Gervinho looked to have snatched a point with an equaliser inside the final five minutes until Diego Perotti grabbed a late winner.

However, the home side’s slim chances of Champions League qualification ended as Inter, Atalanta and Milan won to finish above them.

Roma’s decision not to offer De Rossi a new contract was met with furious protests from the fans, but a capacity crowd said an emotional farewell to their second-highest appearance holder as he pulled on the red and yellow shirt for 616th and final time.

Claudio Ranieri, taking charge of Roma for the last time as caretaker manager, knew that his side needed everything to go their way to climb into the top four but they had to settle for sixth instead, earning them a place in the Europa League second

Inter sneaked into next season’s Champions League when a late goal from Radja Nainggolan gave them a 2-1 win over a gallant Empoli, who were relegated after an astonishing Serie A match on Sunday.

Half-time substitute Keita Baldé fired Inter in front six minutes after the restart before Mauro Icardi won a penalty for the hosts, only to see his effort saved by Bartlomiej Dragowski.

There was more drama as Empoli snatched an equaliser when Hamed Junior Traorè was left unmarked to tap in at the far post in the 76th minute – a result which would have saved Empoli and caused Inter to miss out on the top four.

Instead, Nainggolan turned in the rebound after a Matías Vecino shot hit the post in the 81st minute to take Inter into fourth place with 69 points, one ahead of their neighbours who won 3-2 at Spal.