Serie A: Juventus Win; Milan Sink Lecce While Fiorentina And Brescia Draw

Cristiano Ronaldo was on target as Juventus marked their return to Serie A action with a 2-0 win over Bologna at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on Monday night.

Maurizio Sarri's side shrugged off the disappointment of their Coppa Italia final defeat to Napoli last week, Ronaldo setting them on their way from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute in their first top-flight game since March 8.

Dybala added a superb second before half-time, whipping into the top corner from outside the penalty area, while Ronaldo and Federico Bernardeschi came close to adding further goals after the interval before Danilo was sent off in stoppage time.

The result moves the reigning champions four points clear of Lazio at the Serie A summit, although Simone Inzaghi's side will have the chance to cut the gap back to one point when they travel to Atalanta on Wednesday.

Lecce 1 - 4 Milan

AC Milan kept alive their hopes of snatching a Europa League qualifying berth after Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu had a hand in all of their goals in a 4-1 Serie A win at relegation-threatened Lecce on Monday.

The result lifted Milan, who were missing forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a calf injury, two places to seventh on 39 points from 27 games.

Sixth-placed Napoli are ahead of them on goal difference. Lecce stayed 18th on 25 points as they failed to climb out of the drop zone.

Milan dominated the opening half with some crisp one-touch passing and Giacomo Bonaventura come close in the opening exchanges before Samuel Castillejo fired the visitors ahead in the 26th minute with his first league goal of the season.

The Spanish winger turned in a sharp Calhanoglu cross from the right flank and Milan enjoyed a slice of good fortune 10 minutes later as Lecce centre back Biagio Meccariello had a goal disallowed for marginal offside.

The home side levelled with a Marco Mancosu penalty in the 54th minute after halftime substitute Khouma Boubacar was fouled but their joy was short-lived as Milan hit back with two goals inside three minutes.

Bonaventura restored Milan's lead barely 40 seconds later when he stabbed in a close-range rebound after Lecce keeper Gabriel parried Calhanoglu's shot from 20 metres.Croatia Ante Rebic made it 3-1 after he raced clear from inside his own half as he latched on to a clever Calhanoglu pass and beat Gabriel with a clinical finish from 16 metres with his weaker right foot.

Second half substitute Rafael Leao added the fourth in the 72nd minute with a diving close-range header after Calhanoglu released Andrea Conti and the right back delivered an inch-perfect cross from his flank.

Fiorentina 1 - 1 Brescia

Fiorentina's disappointing season continued when they were held 1-1 at home by bottom-of-the-table Brescia in Serie A on Monday night as both teams played their first match since the three-month coronavirus stoppage.

Veteran Franck Ribery made his comeback for the hosts after suffering an ankle injury in November and Brescia dropped maverick forward Mario Balotelli after a public spat with the club over his attitude to training.Brescia went ahead from penalty spot after Martin Caceres slid into Daniele Dessena.

Alfredo Donnarumma, who was made to wait for a long VAR review with the ball on the spot, kept his cool to convert in the 15th minute.

Defender German Pezzella levelled with a diving header from a corner just before the half hour.

Fiorentina took control after the break and Ribery and Dusan Vlahovic had goals disallowed in quick succession. In further attacks, Ribery had an effort cleared off the line, Vlahovic was denied by goalkeeper Jesse Joronen's feet, Pol Lirola fired wide from a counter attack and Pezzella headed against the crossbar.

Caceres completed an unhappy evening when he given a second yellow card in the 70th minute. Fiorentina stayed 13th with 31 points from 27 games while Brescia have 17.

From Soccernet.