Milan hung on for a 1-0 win over Sampdoria in Serie A yesterday with a 65th minute header from Brazilian Kaka, ensuring they keep the pace at the top of the Serie A standings.
In the evening match, joint-leaders Juventus downed the stiff resistance of a spirited Chievo team three minutes from time when substitute Ruben Olivera blasted home at the far post.
Within a minute of scoring Juve's dramatic winner, Olivera and Chievo's Alessandro Potenza were red-carded for violent conduct.
Juventus saw more of the ball and held the initiative for most of the match at the Bentegodi stadium.
However, they were frustrated by an organised Chievo side who rarely allowed their more illustrious opponents space to impose their superiority.
Juve were a shadow of the team that reached the Champions League quarter-finals in midweek after eliminating Real Madrid in extra-time.
They could also consider themselves lucky last night when relegation-haunted Chievo had legitimate claims of a goal turned down by the match officials.
TV replays showed Sergio Pellissier's 51st-minute strike had bounced behind the line after hitting the underside of the bar with goalkeeper Buffon beaten.
During a nervous finale at the San Siro, Sampdoria went close to a late equaliser when Francesco Flachi's shot was cleared off the line by Jaap Stam.
David Di Michele scored a hat-trick for Udinese as they enjoyed a shock 5-1 win at Palermo while Gianfranco Zola inspired Cagliari to a 3-0 victory over Roma - scoring his side's opener and creating the second.
On Saturday, third-placed Inter drew 1-1 at Lazio.
Milan have now notched up nine successive victories, including their two Champions League wins over Manchester United, and six of them have ended with a 1-0 scoreline in their favour.
"Above all it is the close attention we have been paying in defence that has been the crucial element in this run of results," said Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.
The champions went close to a first-half opener when Rui Costa's deflected shot struck the crossbar but Milan, who had to replace defenders Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini due to injuries, also suffered scares.
In the 62nd minute Belarussian Vitali Kutuzov, formerly with Milan, struck the post with a shot from inside the area but three minutes later Milan were ahead.
Kaka peeled away to the back post and met a splendid Andrea Pirlo cross with a perfectly placed header to beat Francesco Antonioli.
"That win came from character but I have to say that Sampdoria were really well organised at the back," said Ancelotti.
Roma's hopes of making a place in the Champions League are fading fast with Luigi Del Neri's side now nine points away from fourth place after a humiliating defeat in Sardinia.
Former Chelsea forward Zola put Cagliari in front in the 24th minute, latching on to a clearance from Roma defender Matteo Ferrari and firing home with a low drive.
The 38-year-old Zola set up Cagliari's second with a free-kick, which was slotted home by Mauro Esposito.
Three minutes after the break David Suazo made it 3-0 for the Sardinians and when Roma had their Italy international midfielder Daniele De Rossi sent off for a tackle from behind on Suazo, the game was over.
Udinese and Palermo have hopes of taking a place in Europe's elite competition next season and although Palermo started the game a point ahead of the north-easterners that was far from reflected on the field.
Two well-taken goals from Di Michele put Udinese in charge within 36 minutes and then Ghanian midfielder Sulley Muntari made it 3-0 just before the break to leave the Sicilians with a huge task in the second half.
Any hopes of a revival were dashed when Di Michele completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute and although Mario Santana pulled one back for Palermo in the 70th minute, Vincenzo Iaquinta made it 5-1 before Eugenio Corini finished a sorry day for the home side by missing a penalty.
Serie A
Atalanta 1
Parma 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 20,000
Bologna 1
Siena 1
HT: 0-0. Att: 16,000
Brescia 2
Livorno 3
HT: 1-0. Att: 15,000
Cagliari 3
Roma 0
HT: 2-0. Att: 21,000
Chievo 0
Juventus 1
Milan 1
Sampdoria 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 69,441
Palermo 1
Udinese 5
HT: 0-3. Att: 33,108
Reggina 0
Messina 2
HT: 0-2. Att: 30,000
Played On Saturday
Lecce 2
Fiorentina 2
Lazio 1
Inter 1
Leading Scorers
19 goals - Montella (Roma).
15 goals - Adriano (Inter).
14 goals - Esposito (Cagliari); Shev-chenko (Milan); Gilardino (Parma).
Next Fixtures
Saturday - 6 p.m. Siena vs Lazio. 8.30 p.m. Juventus vs Reggina.
Sunday - 3 p.m. Chievo vs Brescia; Inter vs Fiorentina; Livorno vs Cagliari; Messina vs Bologna; Parma vs Palermo; Samp. vs Atalanta; Udinese vs Lecce. 8.30 p.m. Roma vs Milan.
Serie B
AlbinoLeffe-Treviso Thursday
Bari-Ascoli 0-1
Cesena-Torino 1-0
Crotone-Empoli 1-1
Genoa-Arezzo 3-1
Modena-Catanzaro 2-0
Pescara-Perugia (Friday) 2-1
Piacenza-Salernitana 0-1
Ternana-Catania today
Venezia-Vicenza 2-0
Verona-Triestina Thursday
Serie C1(A) F. Andria vs Frosinone 1-1; Mantova vs Pistoiese 2-1; Novara vs Lucchese 0-2; Pisa vs Pro Patria 1-0; Prato vs Acireale 1-1; Sangiovannese vs Como 1-1; Spezia vs Pavia 0-0; Torres vs Cremonese 2-1; Vittoria vs Lumezzane 0-2.
Serie C1(B) Benevento vs Napoli 0-2; Fermana vs Giulianova 1-0; Lanciano vs Foggia 1-2; Reggiana vs Chieti 2-0; Rimini vs Martina 2-0; Sora vs Vis Pesaro 2-2; Spal vs Cittadella 2-2; Teramo vs Samb 0-2.