Football

Napoli cruised into the last 16 of the Italian Cup with a resounding 5-0 victory over 10-man Palermo on Thursday, but the match was overshadowed by crowd trouble.Cyril Ngonge's early brace set the tone for a dominant Napoli performance at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The Belgian forward opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a clinical finish, before doubling his tally just six minutes later.Juan Jesus extended Napoli's lead three minutes before half-time, heading home from a corner. Palermo's misery was compounded in the 58th minute when Aljosa Vasic was sent off for a high boot on Billy Gilmour.David Neres added a fourth for Napoli 12 minutes later, rolling the ball into an empty net after a fine run from Giacomo Raspadori. Scott McTominay completed the rout with his first Napoli goal, seconds after replacing Raspadori.The match was marred by crowd trouble, with rival fans throwing flares and firecrackers at each other during half-time. The second half was delayed by seven minutes as a result.The incident follows a week of violence in Italian football. On Wednesday, there were widespread clashes between Genoa and Sampdoria's hardcore ultras before and after their local derby, which was won on penalties by Samp.Italian media report that both Genoa and Samp may have to play their next two home matches behind closed doors after dozens of injuries on a night of tension in the Italian port city.Napoli fans were also involved in clashes with Cagliari fans in Sardinia earlier this month.Despite the off-field distractions, Napoli remain on course for a domestic double. They are top of Serie A and have now reached the last 16 of the Italian Cup.

Juventus and Massimiliano Allegri have parted ways by mutual agreement, ending the Italian's second spell as manager of the Turin giants. The decision comes two weeks after Allegri was sacked following an outburst during the Italian Cup final victory over Atalanta.Allegri, 56, had been in charge of Juventus since 2021, having previously managed the club from 2014 to 2019. During his two spells, he guided the Bianconeri to 12 trophies, including five Serie A titles and four Italian Cups.However, Allegri's second stint at Juventus was marred by inconsistency and a lack of success in Europe. The team finished third in Serie A this season, 23 points behind champions Inter Milan, and were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 by Villarreal.Allegri's behavior during the Italian Cup final, where he was sent off for ranting at match officials and dismissively waved away Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, led to an investigation by the Italian Football Federation's disciplinary authorities.The announcement of Allegri's departure opens the door for former Italy midfielder Thiago Motta to be named as the new Juventus boss. Motta guided Bologna to fifth place and Champions League qualification this season.

Juventus emerged victorious in the Italian Cup final, defeating Atalanta 1-0 thanks to a fourth-minute strike from Dusan Vlahovic. The win marked Juventus' 15th Italian Cup triumph, ending a three-year trophy drought for the Turin giants.Vlahovic's early goal proved decisive as Juventus' resolute defense held firm against Atalanta's attacking prowess. The Serbian striker, who also had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half, was a constant threat to Atalanta's backline.Atalanta, who were seeking their first major trophy since 1963, struggled to break down Juventus' organized defense. Despite fielding an attack-minded lineup, Gian Piero Gasperini's team failed to register a single shot on target.The closest Atalanta came to equalizing was when Ademola Lookman's shot cannoned off the base of the post with 10 minutes remaining. However, Juventus held on to secure the victory and lift the trophy.Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, who was sent off late in the game, hinted that his second spell as Juve coach could be coming to an end. "If I'm gone next season, because I've already been sacked in the media, we're in the Champions League and have won a trophy," Allegri said.Atalanta now turn their attention to securing Champions League football through Serie A and next week's Europa League final. The Bergamo club, who are fifth in Italy's top flight, face Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin in their first-ever European final.