Zielinski scores last-gasp winner as Serie A leader Inter beats Juventus 3-2 to stay 8 points ahead

Piotr Zielinski scored a last-minute winner as Serie A leader Inter Milan beat Juventus 3-2 to stay eight points ahead of second-placed AC Milan on Saturday.

Juventus twice came from behind and overcame a red card but finally capitulated in the 90th when Zielinski drove in a low shot after being set up by Yann Bisseck near the penalty area.

The defeat dropped Juve one place to fifth behind Roma, which has a better goal difference and can move into third spot if it wins at defending champion Napoli on Sunday.

Juventus left back Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends in the first half.

He inadvertently deflected Luis Henrique's cross past his goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 17th minute, then latched on to a right-wing cross from American midfielder Weston McKennie in the 26th.

Juve's chances were hampered when defender Pierre Kalulu was sent off for a second yellow card late in the first half after fouling Alessandro Bastoni, who moments earlier had missed a golden chance from close range.

Inter regained the lead in the 76th when forward Pio Esposito headed in powerfully from Federico Dimarco's left-wing cross. Manuel Locatelli equalized from another McKennie cross in the 83rd to ensure a tense finish.

Zielinski ensured Inter notched a sixth straight win overall.

Como's hopes of securing Champions League qualification were dealt a blow by visiting Fiorentina.

Nicolo Fagioli and Moise Kean scored in 2-1 win for Fiorentina at Como's Guiseppe Sinigaglia stadium.

The day got worse for Como as Champions League-chasing rival Atalanta won 2-0 at Lazio to move one point above in sixth place, thanks to a penalty from midfielder Ederson in the 41st minute and a second-half effort from Poland’s Nicola Zalewski.

Como's defeat came days after it advanced to the semifinals of the Coppa Italia for the first time in 40 years by beating Italian champion Napoli.

An impressive campaign could yet see it secure a place in next season's Champions League, but the loss to relegation-fighting Fiorentina was a setback.

Fagioli put Como ahead in the 26th from close range after his first effort was blocked. Kean scored from the penalty spot nine minutes into the second half.

Como created a number of chances as it tried to get back into the game and the pressure told when Fabiano Parisi fired into his own net in the 77th. But it couldn't find an equalizer and ended the game with 10 men when Alvaro Morata was sent off in the 89th.

On Friday, Luka Modrić scored a late winner for AC Milan to beat Pisa 2-1.

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Juventus' Pierre Kalulu reacts after getting a red card during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Juventus, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Andrea Cambiaso celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Serie A soccer match between Inter and Juventus in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Inter Milan's Piotr Zielinski, right, fights for the ball with Juventus' Jonathan David during the Serie A soccer match between Inter and Juventus in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Atalanta's Nicola Zalewski, centre, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Atalanta in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Atalanta's Nicola Zalewski celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Atalanta in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Como's Jacobo Ramon and Fiorentina's Moise Kean, left, in action during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Fiorentina, in Como, Italy, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Fiorentina's Nicolo Fagioli celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Fiorentina, in Como, Italy, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

MADRID (AP) — Vinícius Júnior scored two penalties and a Real Madrid team without superstar Kylian Mbappé moved top of La Liga with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Mbappé watched from the substitutes’ bench after missing some team training sessions during the week with discomfort in his left knee. Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said Friday he was able to play, but evidently he did not want to rush his star goal-getter.

Nor did he need to.

Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, out with a hamstring injury, watched as Madrid produced an assured team performance to end the visitors’ 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions and move two points clear of Barcelona before the defending champion visits Girona on Monday.

Perhaps Tuesday’s team-dinner at a fancy restaurant paid for by Mbappé and Vinícius helped focus the players before facing Benfica in the Champions League playoffs next week.

Gonzalo García opened the scoring with a slight touch to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross in the fifth minute. However, it was to be a largely frustrating game for the young attacker, who failed to make more of other good opportunities.

Dean Huijsen conceded a penalty for bringing down Yangel Herrera, and Mikel Oyarzabal duly equalized from the spot with a hard high centrally placed shot in the 21st.

Referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso awarded another penalty at the other end four minutes later when Jon Aramburu caught Vinícius’ ankle, bringing him down. The Brazilian dusted himself off to score from the spot in the 25th.

Madrid captain Fede Valverde gratefully scored the third in the 31st after being left too much space at the edge of the penalty box. It was Valverde’s first goal of the season.

Gonzalo should have scored again before the break when Valverde set him up for what looked like a simple tap in, but Vinícius made it 4-1 with his second spot kick after the break, awarded after Aramburu was again penalized for bringing him down.

Dani Carvajal made his long-awaited return around the hour mark when he replaced Alexander-Arnold for his first league appearance since Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Barcelona in October. Carvajal was reportedly unhappy that the 21-year-old Castilla player David Jiménez played at right back in Valencia last weekend.

Borja Iglesias scored in stoppage time, after having another seemingly good goal ruled out through VAR, to salvage a 2-2 draw for Celta Vigo at Espanyol.

A rueful Iglesias shook his head and smiled after having a 77th-minute goal disallowed when a long check determined there had been an offside infringement.

His frustrations grew when Ramón Terrats pulled the ball back for fellow substitute Tyrhys Dolan to score what he thought was the winner for Espanyol in the 86th minute.

But Iglesias equalized in the third minute of stoppage time when Pablo Durán set him up with his heel after a good run from Sergio Carreira.

Espanyol remained sixth and Celta a point behind in seventh.

Also Saturday, Getafe held on to upset visiting Villarreal 2-1, and 10-man Sevilla drew with Alaves 1-1 in a duel between two strugglers.

Sevilla midfielder Juanlu was sent off in the 16th minute with his second yellow card for a bad challenge.

Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda was also sent off, late, and he raged against the referee before he could be persuaded to leave.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe sits on the bench prior to the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring his side's 4th goal from the penalty spot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, top left, scores a goal that was disallowed by the VAR during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, dribbles the ball past Real Sociedad's Jon Martin during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring his side's 4th goal from the penalty spot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)