Udinese went top of Serie A with a 2-1 win at home to Chievo as Milan were held to a 2-2 draw at Bologna yesterday.
Juventus can still re-take the lead tonight when they travel to Roma.
Captain Antonio Di Natale and Dusan Basta gave Udinese a 2-0 lead before Alberto Paloschi’s late consolation kept things interesting right to the end.
Udinese now lead by a point from Juventus with Milan and Lazio, 3-2 winners at rock bottom Lecce on Saturday, a point further back.
The hosts had a scare when Chievo’s Luciano found himself 10 yards out and in front of goal but he blazed his volley wide.
Up the other end, Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah broke forward but dragged his shot wide while Morocco centre-back Mehdi Benatia fired in an effort that was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino.
In the second half, Di Natale was denied twice in quick succession by desperate defending.
The striker was about to knock home the rebound after Sorrentino saved Mauricio Isla’s shot but Boukary Drame slid in to block his effort.
Then, moments later, Nicolas Frey hacked his back-flick off the line with Sorrentino beaten.
But Udinese got the goal they deserved when Chievo finally cracked under the pressure and Di Natale headed home Isla’s cross.
Basta seemed to have settled the affair with a stooping header from a corner but Paloschi curled home a shot from outside the box eight minutes from time to keep Udinese’s fans on the edge of their seats.
In Bologna, it was a controversial tale of penalties given and not as Marco di Vaio and Alessandro Diamanti scored for the hosts with Clarence Seedorf and Zlatan Ibrahimovic hitting back for Milan.
Bologna were off to a flying start when Di Vaio broke the offside trap on 11 minutes, running onto Diamanti’s long ball and lobbing the onrushing Marco Amelia.
The lead lasted only five minutes, though, before Kevin-Prince Boateng beat two players and slipped the ball to Seedorf, who smashed a stunning strike from 20 yards into the top corner.
Bologna were showing no signs of either fatigue from their extra-time Italian Cup defeat to Juve in midweek or being intimidated by illustrious opponents.
Di Vaio had a shot from an angle that whistled just past the corner of post and bar.
A cute lobbed pass from Boateng sent Ignazio Abate running into the area but his volley was saved by Jean-Francois Gillet.
Milan then had a lucky escape on the stroke of half-time when Seedorf appeared to handle in the area but the referee gave nothing.
Bologna had the bit between their teeth and Di Vaio’s deflected shot beat Amelia but hit the post.
Milan were then awarded a penalty for a foul on Ibrahimovic who duly slotted home from 12 yards, although there appeared very little contact between him and Andrea Raggi.
And yet 60 seconds later Diamanti turned inside Thiago Silva and fired home.
Milan then also had a shout for a penalty for handball against Archemide Morleo from Ibrahimovic’s point-blank cross but that wasn’t given.
Serie A
Atalanta 1
Tiribocchi 71;
Catania 1
Legrottaglie 18;
HT: 0-1. Att: 13,716.
Red card: Spolli (C) 43.
Bologna 2
Di Vaio 11; Diamanti 73;
Milan 2
Seedorf 16; Ibrahimovic 72p;
HT: 1-1. Att: 25,736.
Cagliari 0
Parma 0
Att: 7,100.
Novara 1
Radovanovic 70;
Napoli 1
Dzemaili 84;
HT: 0-0. Att: 15,000.
Udinese 2
Di Natale 68; Basta 79;
Chievo 1
Paloschi 83;
HT: 0-0. Att: 14,000.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Udinese | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 30 |
| Juventus | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 10 | 29 |
| Milan | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 31 | 16 | 28 |
| Lazio | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 11 | 28 |
| Napoli | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 21 |
| Palermo | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 20 |
| Genoa | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 18 |
| Cagliari | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 18 |
| Catania | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 20 | 18 |
| Inter | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 18 | 17 |
| Roma | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 17 |
| Parma | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 20 | 17 |
| Atalanta (-6) | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 16 | 16 |
| Fiorentina | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 16 |
| Chievo | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 16 |
| Bologna | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 15 |
| Siena | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Cesena | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 12 |
| Novara | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 11 |
| Lecce | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 26 | 8 |
Playing today
Roma vs Juventus - 20.45
Next fixtures
Tomorrow: 20.45 Genoa vs Inter.
Saturday: 18.00 Chievo vs Cagliari. 20.45 Fiorentina vs Atalanta; Milan vs Siena.
Sunday: 15.00 Catania vs Palermo; Cesena vs Inter; Genoa vs Bologna; Juventus vs Novara; Parma vs Lecce. 20.45 Lazio vs Udinese; Napoli vs Roma.
Top scorers
10 goals: Denis (Atalanta), Di Natale (Udinese).
9 goals: Ibrahimovic (Milan).
8 goals: Klose (Lazio).
7 goals: Cavani (Napoli), Giovinco (Parma).
Serie B
Brescia 1 - Bari 3
Prima Divisione ‘A’
Avellino vs Spal 2-1; Benevento vs Viareggio 5-1; Como vs Lumezzane 2-1; Foggia vs Ternana 3-1; Foligno vs Carpi 1-0; Pisa vs Monza 2-2; Pro Vercelli vs Sorrento 4-0; Reggiana vs Taranto 0-1; Tritium vs Pavia 1-1.
Standings: Ternana 34; Taranto 33; Pro Vercelli 29; Como 27; Carpi 26; Pisa, Sorrento, Avellino 25; Lumezzane 24; Tritium 23; Benevento 19; Foggia 18; Reggiana 16; Monza 13; Viareggio 11; Spal 10; Pavia 9; Foligno 6.
Prima Divisione ‘B’
Andria vs Pergocrema 1-2; Carrarese vs Barletta 0-0; Cremonese vs Latina 2-0; Frosinone vs FeralpiSalo 1-1; Piacenza vs Bassano 3-2; Prato vs Portogruaro 1-1; Trapani vs SudTirol 1-0; Lanciano vs Siracusa 1-1.
Standings: Siracusa 28; Lanciano, Portogruaro 26; Pergocrema, Trapani, Cremonese 25; Carrarese, Barletta 24; Triestina, SudTirol 21; Spezia, Frosinone 20; Piacenza 17; Latina, Andria 16; Bassano 15; Prato 14; FeralpiSalo 12.