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Relegation Candidate Benevento Puts Dent in Juve's Chase for 10 Straight Titles

Juventus' chances at a 10th straight Serie A title has dwindled to a faint hope following a historic 1–0 loss to 16th-placed Benevento on Sunday. 

The loss puts Juventus 10 points behind league-leading Inter Milan with 10 games left to play. Inter has won its last eight league matches and has not tasted defeat in Serie A since the first week of January.

The upset's impact on the title race overshadows the gravity of Benevento's win. Sixteen years ago the club folded and reestablished itself in the Italian fourth division. In 2017 it set a record for the worst start to a season in Europe's top five leagues after losing its first 14 Serie A matches. But on Sunday, less than a year after winning the Serie B title, it secured its first league victory over Juventus.

It's only the second home loss in Serie A for Juventus since April 2018, with both coming this season as the pressure continues to mount on first-year manager Andrea Pirlo. After Juve's exit from Champions League in the round of 16 and with the league title looking increasingly unlikely, Pirlo's only chance at a major trophy likely comes in the Coppa Italia, where Juventus will face Atalanta in the final on May 19. 

The 2014–15 season was the last time Cristiano Ronaldo failed to win a major domestic or European trophy, although Real Madrid won the FIFA Club World Cup that season. Prior to Sunday's match, Juventus honored Ronaldo, who was named Serie A Player of the Year for the second straight season, with a commemorative jersey to celebrate passing Pele in official career goals, although the all-time record remains a point of contention