ROME (AP) — Substitute Vitinha and Leo Ostigard scored in Genoa's 2-0 win at last-place Verona in the Italian league on Sunday as Daniele De Rossi’s side moved even further away from the relegation zone.
Genoa is in 13th place with 33 points after 29 rounds, nine points above 18th-place Cremonese.
Serie A leader Inter Milan was held 1-1 by Atalanta at home on Saturday, leaving the door open for AC Milan to further close the gap to its rival. Lagging eight points behind Inter, AC Milan played at Lazio later Sunday.
Vitinha scored right after coming on as a replacement for Caleb Ekuban with a powerful shot from long range around the hour mark. Ostigard made it 2-0 in the 86th minute with a header from a free kick.
Down to 10 men from the 37th minute after Rafiu Durosinmi kicked defender Yerry Mina, 19th-place Pisa claimed its second league win of the season.
Antonio Caracciolo scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Cagliari, which also finished with 10 men following Adam Obert's late dismissal for a second yellow card.
Bologna beat Sassuolo 1-0, with Thijs Dallinga scoring early in the game.
But Bologna lost several players through injuries ahead of the second leg of the Europa League round-of-16 tie at Roma on Thursday, with the first leg a 1-1 draw. Goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was injured after an aerial challenge but was forced to play on because coach Vincenzo Italiano had already used all his substitutions.
Nikola Moro and Lorenzo De Silvestri also got injured Sunday.
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Genoa's Vitinha, front center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and GFC Genoa 1893 in Verona, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Raphinha scored a hat trick, including two goals from the penalty spot, as Barcelona reclaimed its four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish league on Sunday.
Barcelona routed Sevilla 5-2 for its fourth straight league win and boosted its confidence ahead of the second leg of its Champions League last 16 match against Newcastle on Wednesday. Barcelona needed Lamine Yamal’s penalty with the last kick of the game to rescue a 1-1 draw at Newcastle in the first leg.
Madrid beat Elche 4-1 on Saturday to temporarily cut Barcelona's lead to one point.
After Portugal defender João Cancelo was fouled in the box, Raphinha put the Catalan side ahead in the ninth minute with a little dink of a shot known as a “Panenka,” which fooled goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Cancelo, who returned to Barcelona this winter on loan from Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal, earned another penalty in the 18th and Raphinha again converted. Vlachodimos read the shot well and managed to touch the ball but could not stop it.
Dani Olmo made it 3-0 in the 38th minute from Marc Bernal's cross.
Oso pulled one back for Sevilla before halftime and Raphinha completed his hat trick after the interval with a shot that took a deflection and went over the 'keeper. Cancelo then added more luster to the win, with Djibril Sow reducing the gap in added time.
Elsewhere, Mallorca came from behind to beat Espanyol 2-1.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha, centre right, celebrates with Barcelona's Dani Olmo after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha scores on a penalty kick during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
