Kaka scored his first goal since returning to Milan at the start of the season in their 1-1 draw against Lazio in Serie A last night.
The Brazilian, back at San Siro after four unhappy seasons with Real Madrid, gave Milan the lead in the 54th minute with a delightful curling effort from the edge of the box.
Lazio replied with a goal from defender Michael Ciani, leaving Milan in a modest 10th place with 12 points from 10 games.
Champions Juventus, helped by a trademark Andrea Pirlo free-kick, trounced Catania 4-0 to stay level on points with second-placed Napoli who controversially won 2-1 at Fiorentina.
Fiorentina were furious when Juan Cuadrado had a late penalty appeal turned down and was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for diving.
Napoli and Juventus both have 25 points, two behind Roma who host Chievo this evening.
In Florence, Jose Callejon put Napoli in front early on but Giuseppe Rossi levelled from the penalty spot.
Dries Mertens completed the scoring nine minutes before half-time before both sides lost men to red cards, Christian Maggio for the visitors and Cuadrado for the hosts, as Fiorentina lost at home for the first time this season.
Napoli’s first dangerous attack of the game resulted in the opening goal.
Gonzalo Higuain lifted the ball into the area, picking out the unmarked Callejon to the right of goal, and he volleyed the ball sweetly into the opposite corner.
Fiorentina continued to attack as they had done before the goal and their efforts resulted in a penalty when two Viola players went to ground inside the box and the referee saw something untoward, pointing to the spot.
Rossi stepped up and, with a delay in his run, picked the opposite corner after Pepe Reina had already committed himself to dive to his left.
Napoli were quick to regain the lead, showing great efficiency with Mertens exchanging passes with Higuain before sending in a low left-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner.
Juventus were never in danger against Catania from the moment Arturo Vidal put them ahead in the 27th minute.
Pirlo added a second before Carlos Tevez (66) and Leonardo Bonucci (71) made extra sure.
Catania’s frustration at slipping into the bottom three was summed up by Tiberio Guarente’s 84th-minute second yellow card.
Elsewhere, a late penalty from Alessio Cerci rescued a point for Torino in a thrilling clash away at Livorno.
Livorno looked to be heading for victory after coming back from two goals down only to see another twist in the match when Cerci converted the spot-kick following substitute Leandro Rinaudo’s handball three minutes from time.
Ciro Immobile and Kamil Glik had given Torino a 2-0 lead after just eight minutes.
Paulo Sergio Betanin reduced the deficit for the hosts in the 25th minute before Leandro Greco equalised just past the half hour.
Brazilian defender Emerson put Livorno in front in the 62nd minute but Torino’s Cerci had the last say.
Serie A
Cagliari 0
Bologna 3
Garics 26; Kone 58; Pazienza 61;
HT: 0-1. Att: 7,500.
Red card: Murru (C) 52.
Fiorentina 1
Rossi 28 pen;
Napoli 2
Callejon 12; Mertens 36;
HT: 1-2. Att: 27,000.
Red cards: Maggio (N) 80; Cuadrado (F) 90.
Genoa 1
Gilardino 57;
Parma 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 19,000.
Missed penalty: Gilardino (G) 2.
Juventus 4
Vidal 27; Pirlo 34; Tevez 66; Bonucci 71;
Catania 0
HT: 2-0. Att: 38,000.
Red card: Guarente (C) 84.
Livorno 3
Paulinho 25; Greco 33; Emerson 62;
Torino 3
Immobile 4; Glik 8; Cerci 87 pen;
HT: 2-2. Att: 10,000.
Milan 1
Kaka 54;
Lazio 1
Ciani 72;
HT: 0-0. Att: 42,000.
Sassuolo 1
Zaza 25;
Udinese 2
Di Natale 18 pen; Muriel 56;
HT: 1-1. Att: 13,000.
Red card: Zaza (S) 80.
Verona 2
Gomez 51; Toni 78;
Sampdoria 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 20,000.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Roma | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 27 |
| Napoli | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 7 | 25 |
| Juventus | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 10 | 25 |
| Inter | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 12 | 19 |
| Verona | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 16 | 19 |
| Fiorentina | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 13 | 18 |
| Lazio | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
| Udinese | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| Atalanta | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Milan | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 12 |
| Parma | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 18 | 12 |
| Torino | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 11 |
| Genoa | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 11 |
| Cagliari | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 10 |
| Livorno | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 16 | 9 |
| Sampdoria | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 9 |
| Bologna | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 9 |
| Catania | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 6 |
| Sassuolo | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 24 | 6 |
| Chievo | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 4 |
Playing today
Roma vs Chievo - 20.45
Next fixtures
Saturday: 18.00 Parma vs Juve. 20.45 Milan vs Fiorentina; Napoli vs Catania.
Sunday: 12.30 Livorno vs Atalanta. 15.00 Lazio vs Genoa; Sampdoria vs Sassuolo; Udinese vs Inter; Verona vs Cagliari. 20.45 Torino vs Roma.
Monday: 20.45 Bologna vs Chievo.