Juventus moved four points clear at the top of Serie A as they returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory at Cagliari, yesterday.
The Turin giants, who had coach Massimiliano Allegri on the bench after his one-match ban was lifted on Wednesday, had drawn their last two games to see their lead at the top cut to just a point by second-placed Roma, but they never looked in danger in Sardinia from the moment Carlos Tevez stabbed home the opener after only three minutes.
Arturo Vidal curled home a fine second before the break and Fernando Llorente added a third early in the second half.
Luca Rossettini headed a consolation for struggling Cagliari, who are now without a win in eight league games.
Juve, without a win in December, got off to a flying start when Tevez followed up to tap home after the ball had come back off goalkeeper Alessio Cragno.
The hosts looked to respond quickly and a powerful header from Albin Ekdal forced Gianluigi Buffon into a sprawling save.
But they found themselves two down after only 15 minutes.
Patrice Evra’s low ball in from the left was stabbed out of the area, where Vidal nonchalantly guided it into the far corner with the inside of his right foot.
Juve were home and dry when Llorente netted number three five minutes into the second half.
The Spaniard ran on to a long ball into the right of the area, spun his marker to create a shooting chance and then squeezed a shot under Cragno.
Cagliari pulled a goal back in the 65th minute when Rossettini rose at the back post to head in an Andrea Cossu free-kick from the right.
A comeback never looked likely, though, as the visitors continued to create chances, albeit without extending their lead.
Napoli moved up to third place in the Serie A standings after they netted two first-half goals to see off Parma at the San Paolo stadium.
Rafa Benitez came into the match in search of a positive result to boost their spirits ahead of Monday’s Super Cup clash against Juventus in Doha.
Duval Zapata gave the home side a perfect start after putting them ahead on 19 minutes when he blasted the ball past Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante.
Napoli were now in charge and on the half hour Dries Mertens was brought down in the area by Parma defender Massimo Gobbi and from the resultant penalty the Belgian midfielder drilled the ball home.
Parma were unlucky not to pull a goal back after the interval when substitute Francesco Lodi saw his curling drive coming off the upright.
But that was a rare chance for the visitors as Napoli safely administered their lead.
Summaries
Cagliari 1
Rossettini 65;
Juventus 3
Tevez 3; Vidal 15, Llorente 50;
HT: 0-2. Att: 16,000.
Napoli 2
Zapata 19, Mertens 30 pen;
Parma 0
HT: 2-0. Att: 35,000.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 7 | 39 |
| Roma | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 11 | 35 |
| Napoli | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 20 | 27 |
| Lazio | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 26 | 17 | 26 |
| Sampdoria | 15 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 20 | 12 | 26 |
| Genoa | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 13 | 26 |
| Milan | 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 18 | 24 |
| Fiorentina | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 23 |
| Udinese | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 21 |
| Palermo | 15 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 21 |
| Inter | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 21 | 20 |
| Sassuolo | 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 19 |
| Verona | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 26 | 17 |
| Empoli | 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 16 |
| Torino | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 14 |
| Atalanta | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 14 |
| Chievo | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 13 |
| Cagliari | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 12 |
| Cesena | 15 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 29 | 8 |
| Parma (-1) | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 36 | 6 |
Playing tomorrow
Sassuolo vs Cesena - 18.00
Roma vs Milan - 20.45
Sunday (15.00)
Atalanta vs Palermo
Fiorentina vs Empoli
Inter vs Lazio - 20.45
Sampdoria vs Udinese
Torino vs Genoa
Verona vs Chievo - 12.30