Tough to close gap to Juventus, admits Spalletti

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti admits it will be tough to close the gap to newly crowned Serie A champions Juventus.

Napoli's 1-0 defeat at Stadio Olimpico on Monday handed Juve their fifth title in succession - a triumph made all the more remarkable given their dismal start to the season, in which they took just 12 points from the first 10 games.

A run of 24 wins from 25 matches allowed Juve to capitalise on the inconsistent form of Napoli and Roma to claim the Scudetto, and Spalletti - who has steered his side to the brink of Champions League qualification since replacing Rudi Garcia in January - conceded the champions are a long way ahead.

"When we played in Turin, we were deservedly beaten," he told Sky. "When I saw them on television, they looked like an exciting team, always in good condition, capable of changing their style.

"Allegri has always found the right answers. They are so strong, it's not easy to close the gap."

Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan, who scored the winner against Napoli, feels Juve's imperious performances against the weaker sides in Serie A has been key to their latest success.

"Juve have more consistency in terms of results, they also win games against the smaller teams at home," he said. "They've shown that this year."