Serie A 2025-26: Juventus beats Roma and closes in on leaders Inter

Juventus are creeping back into the Serie A title discussion after deservedly beating Roma 2-1 on Saturday to move four points behind leaders Inter Milan.

Francisco Conceicao and Lois Openda scored the goals that decided an enthralling encounter in Turin as Juve secured a second major win in as many games after beating Bologna last weekend.

Juve remain fifth with 29 points but are just one point behind Roma, who are in last place in the Champions League and suffered a sixth league defeat of the season.

Luciano Spalletti’s Juve has played one more game than Inter, champions Napoli and AC Milan, which will play its matches from this round next month due to the Italian Super Cup, which is being held in Saudi Arabia.

Roma did very little at the Allianz Stadium apart from Tommaso Baldanzi’s goal 15 minutes from time, and the capital team have now lost three of their last four games in Italy’s top flight.

Conceicao fired a warning shot moments before putting Juve ahead when he fired straight at Mile Svilar with the goal at his mercy after good work from Kenan Yildiz on the left.

That was the first real chance of the match, and Conceicao was more clinical a minute before half-time, with the Portuguese forward racing home with his left foot after collecting Andrea Cambiaso’s fine tap-in.

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Svilar was Roma’s best player for most of the match, but he could not stop Openda from securing Juve’s second in the 70th minute after making an excellent stop to keep out Weston McKennie’s header.

That goal appeared to have sealed Juve’s points, but Baldanzi quickly halved the deficit after Michele Di Gregorio cleared Evan Ferguson’s low drive.

However, it was Juve who came closest to scoring again in the 80th minute when Yildiz stroked a beautiful shot onto the post and the hosts held on to claim three big points.

Earlier, Lazio were held to a goalless draw by Cremonese in Rome.

Published on December 21, 2025