Inter Milan kept in touch with leaders Juventus thanks to a 4-0 home win over struggling Como in Serie A, with Christian Vieri scoring twice for Hector Cuper's side.
The result moves Inter back to three points behind champions Juve who beat Modena 3-0 on Saturday.
Third-placed AC Milan are now eight points behind Juventus after they were held to a scoreless draw at Reggina, also on Saturday.
Parma boosted their chances of making a bid for the fourth Champions League spot with an impressive 4-0 win at Chievo.
Chievo's Salvatore Lanna and Parma's Adrian Mutu were sent off. But Lazio, who hold fourth place, ended a run of six straight draws by beating Empoli 4-1 at the Olympic stadium. AS Roma's poor season continued as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Perugia with Italian international Fabrizo Miccoli on target for Serse Cosmi's side.
Vieri, Serie A's top scorer with 23 goals, could have boosted his total even more against a Como side that look set for a swift return to Serie B - the striker missed a first half penalty and had another goal disallowed in the second half.
Last season's runners-up went ahead in the 14th minute when Javier Zanetti burst into the penalty area from the right flank and slipped the ball into Gabriel Batistuta's path and the Argentine rounded former Inter keeper Fabrizio Ferron and slipped the ball into the empty net.
Como had a `goal' disallowed two minutes later when Nicola Amoruso's effort was ruled out for offside.
Inter doubled their lead with a smart near-post glancing header from Luigi Di Biagio from an Alvaro Recoba corner.
Inter's comfort didn't last long however as Como were awarded a penalty after Okan pulled down Fabio Pecchia inside the area but Francesco Toldo pulled off a fine save to keep out Amoruso's spot kick.
In the 31st minute Inter were given a chance to make it 3-0 when Vieri was fouled by Vedin Music but Vieri fired a weak penalty shot wide.
Como had a strong claim for another penalty turned down after Amoruso went down under challenge from Ivan Cordoba. Ten minutes after the break though Inter put the game beyond doubt when Vieri made up for his miss by heading home an inswinging corner from Recoba to make it 3-0.
Vieri then claimed his 23rd of the season, a career best record in Serie A, with another header, this time from a pinpoint Javier Zanetti cross.
The burly striker, who misses Inter's Champions League game away to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday due to suspension, had his celebrations of a hat-trick cut short after his tap-in from a Francesco Coco cross was ruled to have been offside. Parma now have a real chance of European competition next season after goals from Romanian Adrian Mutu, Japan international Hidetoshi Nakata, Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi and Italian Alberto Gilardino helped them crush Chievo.
Lazio fell behind to Empoli in just the fourth minute when Antonio Busce's free-kick, glanced off the head of Lazio defender Massimo Oddo and beat Angelo Peruzzi.
Roberto Mancini's side were on level terms though just four minutes later with Claudio Lopez's stooping header at the back post and after Stefano Fiore had a goal disallowed for Lazio, a Bernardo Corradi header gave them the lead at the break.
Second half goals from Argentine substitutes Diego Simeone and Lucas Castroman made sure of victory.
Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli was at fault as his side became the latest big name side to lose to giant killers Perugia.
Antonioli came but failed to reach a Ze Maria cross and the in-form Miccoli tapped into the empty net.
Reuters