VERONA: AC Milan earned a 1-0 win away to Hellas Verona on Sunday, strengthening their grip on a top-four spot and Champions League place rather than reopening a title race all but settled by Inter Milan’s commanding lead at the top of Serie A.

Milan are second in the standings, level on 66 points with third-placed Napoli and 12 points adrift of Inter, while fifth-placed Como sit eight points back with five games left.

Verona are virtually condemned to relegation, bottom of the table and 10 points from safety, a fact Milan fans were only too happy to remind them of, with chants of “Serie B, Serie B” throughout the match.

The game was played at a sluggish pace. Milan looked in control but their slow build-up play created little until Adrien Rabiot netted the game’s only goal four minutes from the break.

“The important thing is winning and getting the points we need to achieve our objectives, but we made a lot of mistakes today. We could have played a lot better,” said Rabiot. “We need to stay focussed on qualifying for the Champions League.”

Milan took advantage of Como falling to a surprise defeat at Sassuolo on Friday and Roma drawing with Atalanta on Saturday night, and with five matches remaining in the season, the Rossoneri are all-but sure of a top four finish.

The seven-time European champions have had no continental football this season after a disastrous previous campaign which led to Massimiliano Allegri retaking the reins as coach last summer.

Cremonese sit just outside the drop zone and drew 0-0 at Torino in the day’s early fixture.

On Saturday, Napoli fall to a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Lazio and could concede the Serie A title to Inter as soon as next week.

Matteo Cancellieri’s early tap-in set the tone at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and Toma Basic made sure of a fine win for ninth-placed Lazio with another simple finish in the 57th minute.

Lazio’s performance was a good sign for their Italian Cup semi-final against Atalanta, which is delicately poised at 2-2 ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in Bergamo.

But it leaves Napoli counting the days until they officially concede the Scudetto, as if they fail to beat Cremonese and Inter win at Torino next weekend, the Scudetto will return north to Milan.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2026