Bologna took a major step towards qualification for next season’s Champions League with a 2-0 win over Napoli in the 36th round of the Italian Serie A on May 11.

Headers from Dan Ndoye and Stefan Posch sealed the victory for Thiago Motta’s Bologna, who currently sit third in the table and seven points behind sixth-placed AS Roma, with the top five teams guaranteed a place in the Champions League.

Roma are due to face Atalanta on the 12th, who are tied with them in fifth place on 60 points but have played one game less. If Roma lose, Bologna will qualify for the Champions League. Bologna have never played in the current Champions League, although they did play in the European Cup in 1964 when they won their seventh and final league title.

Napoli, last season’s champions, are currently struggling in eighth place this season and were booed by enraged supporters at half-time and after the end of the game.

Meanwhile, AC Milan supporters were left frustrated despite a 5-1 victory over relegation fighters Cagliari.

Milan fans staged a silent protest as they had done in the previous game against Genoa, and it was only after Tijjani Reijnders scored the third goal that a small group of fans broke into cheers.

Goals from Lijnders, Christian Pulisic twice and others from Ismael Bennacer and Rafael Leao gave Milan a comfortable victory, their first in seven competitive matches.

But supporters are frustrated after finishing 18 points behind local rivals and eventual champions Inter Milan and bowing out of the Europa League after being beaten by fellow Serie A side Roma, leading to manager Stefano Pioli expected to be sacked at the end of the season after nearly five years in charge.