MILAN: AC Milan’s crisis deepened as their miserable season hit a new low when they slumped to a 3-0 loss at struggling Hellas Verona in Serie A on Sunday, two days after UEFA expressed concern over the club’s financial situation.

Juventus had no such problems as they won 3-0 at Bologna to leapfrog Inter Milan and go second, one point behind leaders Napoli who won 3-1 at Torino on Saturday.

It has been a difficult month for Milan, who have won just two of their five matches since Gennaro Gattuso replaced Vincenzo Montella as coach.

Milan also had their bid for an agreement to end a financial fair play investigation rejected by UEFA on Friday.

One of the few positive notes was its progression to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup with a 3-0 win over Verona on Wednesday.

However, Antonio Caracciolo, Moise Kean and Daniel Bessa scored as Verona were to avenge that defeat at the Stadio Bentegodi and move one point from safety.

“There are no excuses, we embarrassed ourselves,” said Gennaro Gattuso, the Milan manager, after the defeat. “In the first 25 minutes we created loads of chances but they made us pay with their first opportunity.

“Up until their first goal we played well, creating plenty, but we collapsed at the first obstacle put in our way, as has happened often this season.”

Caracciolo was given far too much freedom by the Milan defence as he headed in from Romulo’s corner in the 24th minute, the ball hitting the bar and going in off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Kean scored the second after Bessa pulled the ball back 10 minutes after halftime and Bessa added the third in the 77th minute, stroking the ball home from Romulo’s pass after the Brazilian burst down the right unchallenged.

Suso was sent off for kicking Daniele Verde, who was on the ground, in a decision made with the help of the video replay.

Miralem Pjanic inspired Juve to a comfortable victory, despite the absence of a number of key players through injury, including captain Gianluigi Buffon.

Bologna started brightly but Juventus took the lead in the 27th when Pjanic curled a trademark free kick into the top left corner.

The Bosnian turned provider nine minutes later, clipping a beautiful pass to Mario Mandzukic that the Croat smartly chested down and stroked past Bologna keeper Antonio Mirante.

Blaise Matuidi scored his first goal in Italian football shortly after the hour. Alex Sandro’s cross was headed away by Filip Helander but only as far as Matuidi and the France midfielder drove it into the bottom left corner.

Juve have 41 points, one more than Inter who lost their unbeaten record in a 3-1 home defeat by Udinese on Saturday.

AS Roma hold fourth and are just four points behind leader Napoli after a dramatic 1-0 win over Cagliari on Saturday, decided in the 94th-minute by Federico Fazio, whose goal had to be confirmed by the video assistant referee after Cagliari’s protested they had seen a handball.

Fiorentina missed a chance to go above Milan when they were held 0-0 at home by Genoa.

An early goal by Arlind Ajeti gave Crotone a 1-0 win over Chievo, their first under Walter Zenga, to end a run of four successive league defeats.

Sassuolo snatched a last-minute win at Sampdoria through Aless­andro Matri, seven minutes after team mate Matteo Politano had a penalty saved by Samp goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2017