Fiorentina left out as last-four peers prevail

ACF Fiorentina proved to be the only weekend losers among the UEFA Europa League semi-finalists as their peers switched focus with successful results. SSC Napoli helped themselves to four goals, Sevilla FC prevailed again at home and FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk closed on second place in Ukraine, the trio all bolstering their bids for UEFA Champions League football next term.

• ACF Fiorentina 1-3 Cagliari Calcio
Vincenzo Montella's Fiorentina may be soaring in Europe, but their domestic form is another matter, and they succumbed to a third consecutive Serie A defeat on Sunday. Relegation-threatened Cagliari were their conquerors on this occasion, Duje Čop finding the net in each half to put the visitors in control.

January signing Alberto Gilardino – not in the Viola's UEFA Europa League squad – reduced the deficit, yet Cagliari had the final word when Diego Farias struck in added time. The loss left Fiorentina sixth in the standings, one point outside the European places.

• Sevilla FC2-0 Rayo Vallecano de Madrid
Sevilla moved up to fourth spot in Spain and into a UEFA Champions League berth with another impressive result at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Unai Emery's charges are the only team yet to be beaten at home in the Liga this term, and they continued their run thanks to a pair of first-half goals.

Vicente Iborra got the first following good work from Diogo Figueiras and Éver Banega, before Daniel Carriço headed in from a Denis Suárez close to the interval. Those efforts kept Sevilla within six points of third-placed Club Atlético de Madrid, though they will lose their hold on fourth if Valencia CF manage at least a draw against Granada CF on Monday.
First leg: Sevilla v Fiorentina, 7 May. Second leg: Fiorentina v Sevilla, 14 May.

• FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1-0 FC Illychivets Mariupil
Dnipro ended a historic week on a high as they got the better of bottom side Illychivets in Ukraine. Midfielder Andriy Blyznychenko made the difference with a quarter of an hour gone as Myron Markevych's side recorded their sixth win in their last seven league outings.

The result hauled the Dnipryani within a point of second-placed FC Shakhtar Donetsk, whom they are now set to tackle in the first leg of the Ukrainian Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.

Napoli were comfortable winners in the end©Getty Images

• SSC Napoli 4-2 UC Sampdoria
Napoli closed within two points of AS Roma in third with an eye-catching victory against the team one place below them in the standings. The only side in Italy's top six to win at the weekend, Rafael Benítez's troops nonetheless had to claw their way back into the game after falling behind to a Raúl Albiol own goal on 12 minutes.

Their response was emphatic, however, Manolo Gabbiadini levelling just after the half-hour and Gonzalo Higuaín putting the hosts in front moments later. Lorenzo Insigne then struck at the start of the second half, and Higuaín weighed in with his 15th Serie A effort with nine minutes remaining. Luis Muriel pulled one back late on, but Napoli held firm for a third straight league win.
First leg: Napoli v Dnipro, 7 May. Second leg: Dnipro v Napoli, 14 May.