Francesco Totti called time on a Roma career that had started back in March 1993. The captain was brought on as a substitute vs Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico with even the visitors having paid homage to the legendary player on their shirts.
There was not a dry eye in the house at the end of the match as the 40-year-old explained to the crowd just how much of a wrench the end of his time with the club would be. “Now time has come and tapped me on the shoulder, telling me I have to grow up,” lamented Totti. “He said, from tomorrow, you will be an adult. Take off your shorts and boots, from now you are a man and can no longer smell the grass, feel the sun in your face, the adrenaline that consumes you and the satisfaction of celebrating.”
Taking off the captain’s armband for the final time, Roma’s number 10 passed it to Mattia Almaviva. Born in 2006, the 11-year-old is the captain of the youngest youth team in the Roma academy.
Roma take second
With football almost a side note at the Olimpico, Roma still managed to just about hold off Napoli to finish the season in second place. The Giallorossi were just one point ahead at the start of proceedings but looked to have been overtaken by the Partenopei when they were only drawing 2-2 with Genoa heading into the final minutes. Napoli meanwhile were 4-2 up away to Sampdoria, but Diego Perotti scored a last-minute winner for Roma, allowing them to end as runners-up to Juventus.
Crotone pull off miracle escape
There was one remaining relegation spot at the beginning of the day, with Empoli the favourites to stay up, starting one point ahead and facing already-relegated Palermo. Crotone were in their first ever season in Serie A, and spent their entire campaign up until Sunday's match in the relegation zone. They faced Lazio, and pulled off a seemingly impossible victory to keep them up as Empoli lost to the Rosanero.
Their incredible run of results started in April, when they had amassed just 14 points. Since then, they have scored 20 more, beating the likes of Inter and Sampdoria along the way. Having promised to cycle to Turin (800 miles) if his side stayed up, their Coach assured he would stick to the deal and stressed the merit of his side.
“For one reason or another, sometimes it all clicks into place,” coach Davide Nicola told the press after the match. “They might’ve considered me mad when I continued to believe in our chances, but I always said we had quality.”
Millennium kid sets record
Juventus travelled to Bologna for their final encounter of the campaign, having already been crowned champions in the previous week. With a heavily rotated lineup - including third choice goalkeeper Emil Audero making his Serie A debut - the Bianconeri found themselves behind early on. Cutting in from the left and curling a stunning right-foot shot into the far top corner, Saphir Taider put the home side ahead, but it was relatively short-lived as Paulo Dybala equalised 18 minutes later.
The story of the day however, was created by 17-year-old Juve forward Moise Kean. Turning a diving header in the bottom corner, the youngster scored the winner and became the first player born in the new millennium to score a goal in any of the top five European leagues.
Play in Champions League 🏃
Play in Serie A 🇮🇹
Score in Serie A ⚽️
Big future.
Honourable mentions
Fiorentina fielded a youngster with a famous father on Sunday evening. 18-year-old Ianis Hagi - son of Gheorghe - replaced Federico Bernardeschi during the Viola’s 2-2 home draw with Pescara.
Final results
Atalanta 1-0 Chievo
Bologna 1-2 Juventus
Cagliari 2-1 Milan
Crotone 3-1 Lazio
Fiorentina 2-2 Pescara
Inter 5-2 Udinese
Palermo 2-0 Empoli
Roma 3-2 Genoa
Sampdoria 2-4 Napoli
Torino 5-3 Sassuolo
