Internazionale responded to a traumatic week with a 2-1 victory over Palermo to re-establish their six-point lead at the top of the table, while a late goal from Vicenzo Iaquinta gave Juventus a 1-0 home win over Napoli that keeps the Bianconeri third and leaves the Southerners 12th in Serie A.

Patrick Vieira and Luis Jimenez scored either side of Marco Materazzi's own goal as the home side bounced back from their midweek Champions League exit.

The win will be the perfect tonic to boss Roberto Mancini, who announced he would step down at the end of the campaign before surprisingly reversed his decision the following day.

Inter got off to the perfect start when Vieira put them in front after just seven minutes, darting into the box to deftly head Zlatan Ibrahimovic's superb pass over Alberto Fontana.

Julio Cruz almost doubled the lead when he headed wide of the far post, with Vieira perhaps better placed to test the keeper after making a late run into the box behind him.

Materazzi's own goal brought Palermo level, the former Everton defender inadvertently deflecting the ball into his own goal off his chest after Julio César had saved Fabrizio Miccoli's shot.

Jimenez thought he had restored Inter's lead soon afterwards, but his header, following up from Vieira's shot that crashed back off the crossbar, was ruled out for offside.

But 10 minutes before the break, the Chile captain did put Inter back in front, brilliantly dragging the ball back to work some space in the area after Maicon had the laid the ball off, before slamming a low shot past Fontana.

There were fewer chances in the second period, although the game began to open up in the latter stages as Palermo pushed for an equaliser.

Substitute Luis Figo should have done better when he dragged a left-foot effort wide at the end of a three-v-two Inter counter-attack, and Ibrahimovic brought a smart low save out of Fontana.

Amauri almost grabbed a late equaliser for Palermo with just five minutes to go, but his diving header flashed just the wrong side of the upright after he had taken advantage of Materazzi's slip in the box.

But Inter held on to close out their 20th league win of the season and re-open their formidable lead at the top of the table.

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JUVENTUS 1 NAPOLI 1

Juventus dominated the first 45 minutes, although the best opportunity fell to Napoli just before half-time.

The first genuine chance saw David Trezeguet fail to convert a clever chipped Alessandro Del Piero pass that played him past the last defender on 13 minutes.

Juventus were making all of the running, with the visitors looking to hit them on the break and having two half-chances with Emanuele Calaio acrobatically bicycle-kicking over and Marek Hamsik's low drive well-blocked by Gianluigi Buffon after a poor clearance from Giorgio Chiellini.

Otherwise Juve could not believe that they went in level at the break, Pavel Nedved going close twice, Del Piero also twice from open play and with one 45th-minute free-kick and defender Chiellini somehow failing to convert a Del Piero free kick at the far post on 34 minutes.

Napoli were genuinely kicking themselves though, Gyorgy Garics springing the offside trap and, with the last kick of the half, chipping weakly past Buffon but well wide of the far post when he really should have scored.

A similar pattern continued into the second half, although Juve were even more dominant and Napoli camped in their own half.

Del Piero sent a free kick agonisingly wide from the edge of the box, Nedved forced a good save from Matteo Gianello after good work from Del Piero, Trezeguet shot high and wide when freed on the right and Tiago had two superb chances in quick succession, forcing a save with a long-range drive and sending a finish just over from the subsequent corner.

A couple of goalmouth scrambles saw Del Piero again missing and Gianello hacking the ball behind for a corner, and Claudio Ranieri had seen quite enough of his toothless strikers, bringing on Iaquinta as a viable partner for the lonely Trezeguet.

The former Udinese man was soon convinced he should have had a penalty when he went down in the area after racing onto a Del Piero through ball, but replays showed Brazil-born Italy Under-21 international Fabiano Santacroce to have made a perfectly-timed tackle.

Juve kept piling the pressure on, Iaquinta and defender Gennaro Stendardo somehow both heading over with great opportunities, and - just when it looked like they could not score whatever they did - Cristian Molinaro and Del Piero combined on the left to send the ball far post to Iaquinta who expertly controlled and fired low past Gianello for an 88th-minute lead.

Aside from a wasted Ezequiel Lavezzi free-kick deep into injury time, Napoli never really threatened to equalise and Juventus held on for a win that was more comfortable than the scoreline would suggest.

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ATALANTA 4 EMPOLI 1

Goals by Antonio Langella and Cristiano Doni, plus Simone Padoin's second-half double gave the Bergamo side a resounding win. Ighli Vannucchi scored for Empoli, who suffered their fourth consecutive defeat.

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CAGLIARI 3 TORINO 0

Cagliari's Brazilian striker Jeda scored with a right-footed shot from outside the box in the 11th minute. Robert Acquafresca doubled the lead with a spot kick, generously given for handball, shortly after Marco Storari had saved a David Di Michele penalty at the other end. Acquafresca sewed things up for the basement club with a fine, long-distance strike in the second half.

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FIORENTINA 3 GENOA 1

A Mario Santana volley and Adrian Mutu's venomous strike from outside the box set Fiorentina on their way in the first half, before Giampaolo Pazzini poked in a third goal in the 56th minute. Uruguayan Matias Masiero scored a consolation goal for Genoa in the closing stages.

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LIVORNO 1 PARMA 1

Parma winger Reginaldo scored just after the hour to cancel out Portuguese midfielder Vidigal's powerful strike shortly before half-time as the two strugglers shared the spoils.

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REGGINA 4 SIENA 0

A Franco Brienza brace and a superb Francesco Cozza free-kick put the home side in command before the break. Simone Missiroli completed the rout in the second half.

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SAMPDORIA 3 CATANIA 1

Sampdoria powered past the Sicilians in the second half with goals from Angelo Palombo, Pietro Accardi and Claudio Bellucci. Lorenzo Stovini levelled the score for Catania briefly before Accardi's goal.

Alex Sharratt / Reda Maher / Eurosport / Reuters