Leonardo Bonucci marked his 35th birthday with two goals as Juventus made hard work of a 2-1 win over bottom side Venezia to all but secure a top-four finish in Serie A.
The Bianconeri had taken just one point from their previous two matches at the Allianz Stadium but did enough to claim victory against Venezia, who have now lost nine in a row.
Full debutant Fabio Miretti played a big part in Bonucci's headed opener inside seven minutes, but Juve were pegged back through a Mattia Aramu strike 19 minutes from time.
However, Bonucci bundled in a late winner to ensure that his side now require just two points from their remaining three games to keep Roma at bay in the battle for fourth.
Juve nearly opened the scoring four minutes in when Luca Pellegrini fired a ferocious strike against the crossbar from range.
The hosts did not have to wait much longer for their breakthrough, though, as Matthijs de Ligt nodded Miretti's delivery back across goal for Bonucci to turn in from close range.
Venezia, who sacked Pablo Zanetti this week and placed Andrea Soncin in temporary charge, took full advantage of Juve's failure to kill off the match through Aramu's long-ranger.
That had Venezia on course for successive 1-1 draws against Juve, only for the Bianconeri to snatch all three points when a corner was not dealt with and went in off Bonucci's shin.
What does it mean? A return to home comforts for Juve – just!
Juve have picked up more points on their travels (35) than they have at home this season (34 with this win) and this was another occasion in which they never truly got going.
Massimiliano Allegri's side have lost just one of their past 21 league games overall and also have a Coppa Italia final with Inter to look forward to later this month.
The immediate priority is nailing down fourth place and, barring a miraculous collapse over their remaining three games, that is as good as achieved.
Leonardo leads the way
Bonucci has now scored five Serie A goals for Juventus this season, which is his best tally in a single campaign.
The veteran Italy international has equalled team-mate Giorgio Chiellini as the defender to have found the net in the most years in the competition since 2000 (13).
Mattia makes his mark
Aramu had gone 14 matches between finding the net in Serie A, with his most recent strike prior to today coming in December's draw with Juventus.
The 26-year-old was Venezia's sole attacking spark, registering all three of his side's attempts on target, including that impressive effort from range.
What's next?
Juventus are back in action on Friday with a trip to Genoa, while Venezia travel to fellow strugglers Salernitana on Thursday.
Ansu Fati will be available for selection for Barcelona when they play Real Mallorca at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
Barca sit third in LaLiga, a point behind second-placed Sevilla – who have played a game more – and 18 adrift of newly crowned champions Real Madrid.
Fati has not featured for the Blaugrana since sustaining a hamstring injury in January, but head coach Xavi revealed on Saturday that the 19-year-old could return this weekend.
"We will give the squad list and Ansu will be there," he told reporters at a pre-match news conference.
"He feels very comfortable and is making efforts to return. He will play at least a few minutes. He is happy, he is smiling, a special player.
"We take great care of him, we know he is a special player. For now the feelings are very good, peaks of speed, physically very good."
The club then confirmed Fati's presence in the squad on Sunday via their Twitter page.
Barca go into the match having lost three successive home games in all competitions for just the second time in history, last doing so under Louis van Gaal between the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.
Defeat last time out against Rayo Vallecano, who became the first promoted team to complete a LaLiga double over Barca since Salamanca in 1997-98, left Xavi's side in third, and they will look to bounce back when they welcome Mallorca to Camp Nou.
If you can make it in New York, the theory goes that you can make it anywhere, so the path from Broadway to Sheffield's Crucible Theatre should hold no fear for Ahmed Aly Elsayed.
Aly is a new face to many on snooker’s expanding veterans' circuit, as the sport builds on the prosperity of its golden age by rolling out stars of yesteryear on its most famous stage.
As well as undisputed legends Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty, regional title winners from all corners of the globe are rocking up in Sheffield for the World Seniors Championship, an annual jamboree that begins on Wednesday. Aly will become the first American to compete at the Crucible.
Life will replicate art when Egypt-born Brooklynite Aly competes, after he acted out two snooker player parts in the 2018 Broadway production The Nap, one of which was that of a finalist at the World Championship.
Aly's day job is that of billiard room manager at the New York Athletic Club, a renowned 24-story pile at 180 Central Park South.
"He's a very good player," Cliff Thorburn, the 1980 world champion, tells Stats Perform. "One of his functions at the New York Athletic Club is looking after the billiard room. They've got possibly the nicest snooker room in the world. It overlooks Central Park and I would highly recommend having a Sunday brunch there in the fall, as the leaves are changing.
"The park's right there and you look down on it. With your breakfast you get a Bloody Mary for starters, and it's just a fabulous place."
Thorburn, a Canadian with a 'Magnum PI' moustache, remembers Aly looking "rough around the edges" when he first set eyes on his cue action.
"But when I saw him in Toronto he had gained a polish to his game," said Thorburn. "He wears a suit very well, like Ronnie O'Sullivan or Judd Trump.
"Ahmed polished his game, and he's taken it to a new level, but you're only as good as the players around you unless you've got that special thing about you. He does, he's very sharp, and I expect something good from him, but this is the deep end. That's pressure, isn’t it!”
Performing shots to order on a table in front of Broadway audiences is one thing, but facing gritty rivals at the theatre venue in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, that has hosted the main tour's World Championship since 1977, will be a whole new test of Aly's stage presence.
"He had to play certain shots on Broadway, and of course the stage is live," said Thorburn. "He looks like a prince, he's got that air about him: well groomed, a good guy, a gentleman, competitive, and he loves his snooker. I hope he gives himself a fair shot at it."
Aly, the 2021 Pan American senior champion, who picked up that title at the Corner Bank venue in Toronto, will play Bradford's Wayne Cooper for the right to tackle 1997 world champion Doherty at the last-16 stage.
Snooker's emergence as a viable senior spectacle has reflected a growth market in sports where it is feasible to remain competitive long after a sportsperson's usual shelf life.
Golf's PGA Champions Tour is sport's ultimate veterans' circuit, with over $62million in prize money due to be paid out this year. Germany's Bernhard Langer has earned over $30million on that tour, mind-boggling considering this is not sport at its highest level.
Snooker is not aiming to compete at that level, but its equivalent tour is soaring in popularity, with the World Seniors Championship being broadcast by the BBC and staged at snooker's most established venue. Crowds will flock, just as they have to the elite World Championship over the past fortnight.
"They're at the Crucible and rightfully so," said Thorburn. "I think it's the right place to have it, and there's a lot of memories that have come from these players that are going to be playing now."
Thorburn's great chum Bob Chaperon is returning to the Crucible stage, some 32 years since he became the last Canadian winner of an individual ranking title, beating Alex Higgins in the 1990 British Open final. Three weeks after that, Chaperon teamed up with Thorburn, who was recovering from a burst appendix, and Alain Robidoux to win snooker's World Cup for Canada.
Naturally, Thorburn is pulling for Chaperon, who faces Welshman Philip Williams first up.
"Bob was supposed to be here two years ago, but COVID stopped him," Thorburn says. "He’s playing Philip, who beat me here once before. So let me think, who do I want to win? Bob, yes Bob. I'm so glad I'm going to be here. Bob's got the chance to cause some damage."
Rafael Nadal remains confident that he will be fully fit in time for this month's French Open, despite still suffering from a "very disabling" rib injury.
The 35-year-old has been sidelined since sustaining a cracked rib during the Indian Wells Masters in March.
However, Nadal confirmed last week he intends to make his return to action on home soil at the Madrid Open next week.
And the Spaniard, who won a record 21st grand slam at the Australian Open in January, expects to be ready for Roland-Garros later this month.
"I have three weeks," he said on Saturday. "I trust that the daily training will help me to get ready.
"Here the demand [in high altitude in Madrid] is maximum, but what can be done is going to be done.
"The most important thing is to be healthy, but I think that going to Paris I'm on time. Three weeks is enough time to get competitive."
He added: "I have trained very little, because the rib is very disabling and also very painful. I had two very bad weeks and afterwards it has been very, very disabling.
"I haven't been able to do practically anything, but it's here, at home, in Madrid."
Thirteen-time French Open winner Nadal will face either Alexander Bublik or Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round of the Madrid Open.
The third seed is on a collision course with highly rated compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals at the Caja Magica.
Liam 'Beefy' Smith said he will "fight anyone" after beating Jessie Vargas at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
The light-middleweight from Liverpool was in top form in New York, largely dominating Vargas before the fight was eventually stopped in the 10th round.
The crowd were mainly in the corner of Smith, with the fight part of the undercard for Katie Taylor's victory against Amanda Serrano.
Speaking to Matchroom Boxing after the win, Smith was grateful for the support he received, though admitted he was not entirely satisfied with his performance.
"Obviously it feels good," he said. "The whole occasion, the whole set-up, the reception I got in Madison Square Garden is one I'll never forget.
"It was not the greatest of performances to be brutally honest with you… but I said I'd break him and even though as I said, I wasn't up to scratch early on, I knew I'd get to Jessie and size would play a big part in it.
"He was slower than I thought. I thought he'd be very sharp early on and he was slower, but I was just waiting too long and when I got there to throw, he was just naughty with his head, he just come straight in.
"I'm surprised I was only cut twice as there was some bad clashes of heads in that fight. I just couldn't really get off early doors until he slowed."
The 33-year-old was asked if his cuts may have given Vargas some extra motivation as he fought back later in the contest.
"Yeah it did," Smith said. "Obviously anyone sees a bit of blood and you get a second wind, but I hit him with a body shot in seven or eight that he felt that. I think towards the end of nine he was on the verge of going, to be fair to him he aimed at a body shot, it was just a weird one that hurt me, so I just had to regroup a little bit.
"Then the bell went, and then round 10 I just put it right back on him, and I heard the referee saying to him 'show me something Jessie'."
When asked about what could be next for him, Smith refused to focus on one name, but put out more of an open challenge, saying: "I've always been open to any fight. I've chased names for years so it's pointless me mentioning [Kell] Brook, mentioning [Chris] Eubank.
"My phone's always on so anyone wants to fight, I've got my gumshield in my bag, I'll fight anywhere."
Elsewhere, Shakur Stevenson took Oscar Valdez's WBC junior lightweight title by unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
The win was the 18th of Stevenson's undefeated career, and despite an even first few rounds, rarely looked in trouble after countering an overhand left to drop his opponent in the sixth.
Taking advantage of the moment, Stevenson chose his post-fight interview to propose to his girlfriend, rapper Young Lyric, who said yes.
Katie Taylor has targeted another battle with Amanda Serrano after creating history with a split-decision victory in front of 19,187 fans at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
The 35-year-old retained her status as undisputed lightweight champion after edging a thrilling bout with nine-time world champion Serrano in New York.
Two of the three judges scored the action-packed fight in Taylor's favour in what was the first women's contest to headline the famous arena.
After achieving another first in her career, the Irishwoman is open to fighting Serrano once again on home soil in Dublin later this year.
"We have to do this again," Taylor said. "It was an absolute war for 10 rounds. I'm grateful to be in this position and sell out Madison Square Garden. Look what we've just done.
"I said before that when you think Madison Square Garden, you think Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier, but now everyone will be thinking of Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano.
"I knew I was going to have to dig deep and go to the trenches. I have the heart as well as the skill. I knew I was going to be able to pull through.
"She's a phenomenal fighter. A great, great person. It was a privilege to fight her again."
She added: "A rematch would be absolutely phenomenal, and if it was in Dublin we could sell-out Croke Park I'd say, 90,000 people. That would be unbelievable.
"We've seen something special here tonight. Imagine fighting in front of 80,000 or 90,000 people in Croke Park."
Defeat for Serrano, who has won titles in seven weight divisions, was her first since 2012 and just the second of a 45-fight career.
"Katie is a great champion," Serrano said. "She's undefeated and undisputed. I'm truly honoured to share the ring.
"Women can sell, women can fight and women can put on a hell of a show."
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could not help but twist the knife after Los Blancos secured their 35th LaLiga title on Saturday.
Following their 4-0 win over Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu, giving them an unassailable lead with four games to spare, Courtois had a response to a claim from Dani Alves.
With Barcelona's recent win over Real Sociedad, and March's 4-0 victory over the newly-crowned champions in mind, Alves had joked that Madrid were fortunate the Blaugrana let them open up such a huge margin.
After clinching the league, Courtois engaged in some tit-for-tat while praising Madrid's maturity and togetherness in seeing the title race through.
"After the Clasico was key," he said. "Some people celebrated as if they had won the title, that they were back.
"But we kept calm to beat Celta in a difficult game, and Getafe, which is always difficult for us.
"This is the work of the whole team," Courtois said. "We all attack and defend."
With Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City looming, it will have been a relief to head coach Carlo Ancelotti that Saturday's contest became a relatively routine victory, and the Los Blancos boss was able to stagger the minutes of Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Vinicius Jr.
Courtois noted despite the result that Espanyol did not make it easy on his side.
"We had to finish it off today," Courtois said. "Everything was ready, also for our friends, family, fans.
"We knew we couldn't slip. Espanyol gave us a very tough game at the beginning, but we were calm and after the first goal, everything was easier."
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola asserted that his side's Premier League title destiny is in their hands, and they will need to remain consistent to ward off Liverpool.
City remain a point clear of Liverpool after both sides won their respective games against Leeds and Newcastle.
Guardiola's side took the lead via Rodri in the 13th minute at Elland Road before going on to win 4-0, moving to 83 points with four games remaining.
While the 51-year-old respects the gravity of the situation, he believes the equation is ultimately simple for City – keep winning, because Liverpool will push them.
"It's in our hands," Guardiola said post-match. “Wolves, Newcastle, West Ham and Aston Villa. We win (them all), we will be champions. We drop points, Liverpool will be champions.
“We know exactly what we need to do - win our games.
“Still it is a privilege and an honour to try win back-to-back titles and four Premier Leagues in five years.
“Right now it's not too much complicated, they are going to win their games.”
Despite the scoreline, City's win was not necessarily routine, eventually doubling the margin through Nathan Ake from a set piece.
Asked whether the characteristically boisterous atmosphere at Elland Road compared to those they face in Europe, Guardiola added he was impressed by how the relegation-threatened Leeds were supported.
It meant his side had to display character to eventually see the game out.
“I don’t want to compare or I’ll be in trouble," Guardiola joked. “Since I arrived in England, I heard about Elland Road - last year it was behind closed doors, today i experienced it and why it’s so special.
“Fighting to stay in the Premier League – singing, chanting and how the people get behind them. Leeds is one of greatest teams in England, and I have sympathy for the fans. I said today it would be hard.
“We stuck together and in the end it’s important to close that (goal difference) gap a little more.”
Gerrit Cole was once again in impressive form for the New York Yankees, as they beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 on Saturday.
The 2021 Cy Young runner-up claimed his second win in as many starts this season, giving up five hits and two walks while striking out six in 91 pitches over a dominant six innings.
Cole's performance on the mound was particularly important, given his team did not hit any home runs this time around.
The Yankees (29) only trail the Toronto Blue Jays (30) for home runs this season, and the top of the order in DJ LeMahieu, Josh Donaldson and Anthony Rizzo claimed one hit out of a combined 11 at-bats.
Aroldis Chapman worked a hitless ninth for his fifth save of the season, moving the Yankees to 15-6 and the top of the American League East.
Undermanned Giants still make light work of Washington
The San Francisco Giants are keeping pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West despite a number of Covid-19 enforced absences, claiming a 9-3 win over the Washington Nationals.
Not scoring a home run before this series against the Nats, Jason Vosler went deep for the second consecutive day – hitting the famous Bay at Oracle Park - while Darin Ruf had three hits from five at-bats.
The hitting performance came at an ideal time, with Giants starter Logan Webb giving up a career-high 11 hits and striking out three in 95 pitches over six innings.
Orioles break losing streak in extra innings
The Baltimore Orioles claimed a shock win in extra innings, defeating the Boston Red Sox 2-1 at home to end a five-game losing streak.
Jorge Mateo scored the winning run for the Orioles, after a Robinson Chirinos bunt with runners on first and second forced an error from Red Sox pitcher Hirokazu Sawamura, launching the ball past third baseman Rafael Devers.
Orioles reliever Jorge Lopez came up big, pitching two hitless innings before retiring Alex Verdugo in the extra inning with two outs and runners on first and third.
World number two Jon Rahm maintained his two-stroke lead at the Mexican Open coming into the final round, shooting a three-under 68 in Vallarta on Saturday.
After opening the back nine with a bogey on the par-four 10th hole for the second consecutive round, Rahm recovered with two birdies on the final two par fives, to finish on 15-under after 54 holes.
The 27-year-old has steadied after opening at the Vidanta course with a bogey-free round of seven-under, and has played some measured golf over the opening three rounds, despite not capitalising on opportunities.
He had two eagle chances on the par-five sixth and par-four seventh and settled for birdies and after driving into the water on the 10th, missed a short birdie chance on the par-five 12th.
A precise up-and-down on the 14th gave the Spaniard some momentum, before closing with another birdie on the 18th.
With his last win on the PGA Tour coming at the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2021, final rounds have provided some trouble for Rahm, converting only once out of the seven times he has at least held a share of the lead coming into the final day.
Kurt Kitayama will be hoping to take advantage after shooting a five-under 66 on Saturday, to put him two strokes back in second along with Cameron Champ.
Kitayama scorched the front nine with three birdies and an eagle on the seventh, but also bogeyed on the 10th hole after an errant tee shot.
He bounced right back with a birdie on the par-three 11th to eventually finish on 13-under after 54 holes.
There is a three-way tie for third a further stroke back, with Nate Lashley, Patrick Rodgers and Davis Riley locked on 12-under.
Former national player Karen Anderson has been elected as president of the Jamaica Squash Association (JSA) at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday.
Anderson a 13-time national champion and former coach has prioritized strengthening the JSA’s governance structure, ensuring financial stability, and accelerating the growth of squash island-wide.
“My involvement in squash is multifaceted from playing to coaching to refereeing, managing teams, and marketing the game and I have the depth of experience and passion to expand the reach of squash within Jamaica while making our players more competitive in regional and international arenas,” Anderson said.
Other areas of focus will include developing a grassroots program that will encompass educational institutions and community-based outreach. Development programs for coaches and referees will also be an area of emphasis.
The new administration also includes veteran player and IT specialist, Joey Levy as Vice President while financial expert, Deanne Pryce and seasoned administrator, Gill Binnie retained their positions as Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.
The supporting Executive Committee includes an infusion of current national team players such as Bruce Burrowes, Julian Morrison, and Tahjia Lumley as well as Nathlee Boreland, Stephen Dear, businessman, and squash aficionado, Douglas Beckford.
The Premier League witnessed drama at both ends of the table on an absorbing Saturday, as Manchester City and Liverpool continued to trade blows in the title race.
Jurgen Klopp's men downed in-form Newcastle United thanks to Naby Keita's first-half strike, before City responded by cruising to a 4-0 thrashing of Leeds United at Elland Road.
At the other end of the table, Norwich City were condemned to a record sixth Premier League relegation at Aston Villa, and Watford look destined to join them after Burnley continued their incredible upturn in form at Vicarage Road.
After another frantic day of action, Stats Perform looks at some of the key Opta facts from Saturday's contests.
Newcastle United 0-1 Liverpool: Keita continues Reds' run
Liverpool's bid for a remarkable quadruple faced a tough test when they travelled to Eddie Howe's in-form Newcastle in the first clash of the day.
However, Naby Keita's 19th-minute goal proved the difference in a competitive encounter, and was Liverpool's earliest winning goal in a 1-0 Premier League victory since December 2016, when Georginio Wijnaldum netted after eight minutes against Manchester City.
Klopp's side had chances to extend their lead, with home goalkeeper Martin Dubravka making nine saves, his highest tally in a single Premier League match. Since 2003-04, when Opta data began, the only Newcastle goalkeepers to make more saves in a Premier League game are Tim Krul (14 against Tottenham in November 2013) and Karl Darlow (11 against Tottenham in September 2020).
However, a 21st clean sheet of Liverpool's league campaign was enough to move them to the top of the table - only in 2005-06 (22) have the Reds kept more shutouts in a single Premier League campaign.
Liverpool have now picked up 40 points from the last 42 on offer in the competition, and the win turned up the pressure on City ahead of their trip to Leeds later on Saturday.
Leeds United 0-4 Manchester City: Visitors draw on set-peice prowess to reclaim top spot
The Reds were not top of the table for long, however, as City claimed a 4-0 win over relegation-threatened Leeds at Elland Road. Goals from Rodri and Nathan Ake both came from set pieces, meaning City have now scored 18 set-piece goals (excluding penalties) this season, their most in a Premier League campaign since 2013-14 (22).
Pep Guardiola's men have also kept five consecutive away league clean sheets, the best such sequence in the club's history.
After Gabriel Jesus had made the points safe, Fernandinho stuck a superb fourth goal late on, becoming the club's oldest ever Premier League goalscorer at 36 years and 361 days old, overtaking Frank Lampard in 2015 (36 years and 338 days old).
Leeds, meanwhile, are looking over their shoulders after another heavy defeat. They have conceded a remarkable 20 league goals against the two Manchester clubs this season (11 against City, nine against Manchester United) – a new top-flight record for goals conceded against the duo in a single season.
Watford 1-2 Burnley: Clarets' revival continues after Cork ends barren run
Elsewhere, Burnley continued their incredible revival by coming from behind to defeat Watford, making Mike Jackson the first Clarets boss to win three of his first four league games in charge since Jimmy Mullen won his first four in 1991.
After James Tarkowski's own-goal put Watford ahead, Jack Cork ended his run of 84 Premier League games without a goal with his first strike since December 2018 (against Liverpool), before Josh Brownhill scored a late winner.
The Clarets are now five points above the bottom three after winning three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since April 2019, having won just three of their previous 21 games.
Roy Hodgson's Watford, meanwhile, look destined for relegation after becoming the first side in English top-flight history to lose 11 consecutive home league matches.
Aston Villa 2-0 Norwich City: Canaries suffer another relegation at Villa Park
Burnley's win had other ramifications, contributing to Norwich suffering their sixth relegation from the Premier League – the most of any club in the competition's history – after the Canaries were beaten at Villa Park.
Remarkably, Norwich have been relegated in each of their last four Premier League seasons (2013-14, 2015-16, 2019-20 and 2021-22). They are only the second side in English league history to suffer relegation in four consecutive campaigns in the top-flight, after Crystal Palace (1992-93, 1994-95, 1997-98 and 2004-05).
Dean Smith's men saw their fate sealed after becoming the first team to concede 70 Premier League goals this season after just 34 games, representing the earliest point in any league campaign they have reached 70 concessions since 1956-57 (in their 34th game in the old Third Division South).
Ollie Watkins set the tone for Villa's win with his first-half strike, and he has now scored at least 11 more goals than any other Villa player since his September 2020 debut (25 goals in all competitions).
The full extent of the latest injury to Aston Villa and Jamaica forward Leon Bailey is yet to be determined but the team’s head coach Steve Gerrard sympathizes with the player’s situation.
On Saturday, the 24-year-old hobbled from the field five minutes before half-time, having suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury. The setback was the latest in an up and down season for the winger.
Previously, Bailey spent lengthy spells on the sideline having injured his thigh on two separate occasions. Since moving to the club from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen, the attacker has shown flashes of tremendous potential but struggled to stay fit. Gerrard admits the situation has been frustrating for everyone.
"It’s an ankle issue. In terms of the extent and the damage, I’m sure he’ll be MRI scanned in the next 24 to 48 hours. I’m really disappointed and frustrated for him because he’s worked really hard to get back, he’s been training ever so well,” Gerrard said.
Bailey started only his second match, since returning from injury, against Leicester last weekend, the coach had promised to give the player an opportunity to play his way back into form.
"We wanted to give him another opportunity off the back of Leicester to really try and keep him in the rhythm. You see how he started the game he nearly scores with a fantastic effort and a top save from Tim Krul,” Gerrard said.
"Not too far after that he’s got to come off the pitch. He’s frustrated, we’re frustrated and I’m sure the supporters are as well.”
Diego Simeone is ready to accept responsibility if Atletico Madrid fail to qualify for the Champions League.
On the day Atleti saw their LaLiga crown taken by bitter rivals Real Madrid, they suffered a potentially damaging 2-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao at San Mames.
They remained in fourth after the defeat, yet fifth-placed Real Betis can cut the gap to just a point if they overcome Getafe on Monday.
Los Colchoneros face a tough run-in that sees them play champions Madrid, Sevilla and Real Sociedad in three of their four remaining games.
Asked at a media conference if he was worried about not securing a top-four spot, Simeone said: "It occupies me. You have to know how to be in difficult moments and there have been a few in recent years.
"We will see who is up for this difficult moment. The responsibility rests with me. I am the first one responsible for whether it happens or not.
"Everyone needs to stay calm, there are four games left."
Athletic were good value for their win, which came courtesy of an early Mario Hermoso own goal and a second-half penalty from Inaki Williams.
The result meant Atleti have now failed to score in their past two LaLiga games – the first time they have done that since October 2020 when they drew blanks against Huesca and Villarreal.
Simeone had no complaints with his side's effort, though, and said there is no lack of desire to achieve a top-four spot.
"The first few minutes weren't good, then the team improved," he said. "Their first goal hit Hermoso and went in; Carrasco's strike does the same but goes wide. These are the small details that matter.
"If you see how they train, how they work and commit to doing what we say, then there is nothing to say. There is no lack of commitment or intensity.
"There is anxiety and the desire to achieve the goal of the club."
Atleti are next in action on May 8 when they host Los Blancos in El Derbi at the Wanda Metropolitano.
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