SERIE A: Leaders Inter Milan withstood a furious barrage from Napoli to earn a 0-0 draw last night and end the weekend with a seven-point advantage.
AS Roma beat Palermo 4-1 on Saturday to keep up the pressure on Inter ahead of the meeting between the sides in Rome in March.
Marek Hamsik rattled the bar early on amid a host of early chances for fourth-placed Napoli before Jose Mourinho’s side struck the woodwork through Sulley Muntari and Fabio Quagliarella thumped a drive against the post for the home side.
Alessandro Del Piero earlier converted a controversial penalty to give Juventus a 3-2 home win over Genoa and lift the Turin club to sixth after only their second victory in nine league matches.
LA LIGA: Diego Forlan’s clinical finish and a superb Simao Sabrosa free-kick fired Atletico Madrid to a 2-1 home win over previously unbeaten La Liga leaders Barcelona last night.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled a goal back for the visitors when he was left unmarked at the back post at a corner and volleyed high into the net from close range.
Second-placed Real Madrid’s 3-0 win at bottom club Xerez on Saturday had trimmed Barca’s lead at the top to two points and Pep Guardiola’s side, missing five first-team defenders through bans or injury, failed to respond.
With 22 matches played, Barca have 55 points, Real 53 and Valencia, who were held 1-1 at mid-table Sporting Gijon on Saturday, are third on 43.
Erratic Atletico, who are through to the Kings Cup final, are 11th with 27.
