Serie A front-runners Juventus were held 3-3 at Sassuolo after taking a two-goal lead Wednesday and are now seven points clear of Atalanta with five games left.
Atalanta hammered troubled Brescia 6-2 on Tuesday to move past Lazio, who drew 0-0 at Udinese Wednesday. Inter Milan can go from fourth to second if they beat tailenders SPAL on Thursday.
In Reggio Emilia, Juve’s Brazilian defender Danilo stunned a dithering Andrea Consigli on six minutes, firing home a corner kick taken by Miralem Pjanic, who also sent away Gonzalo Higuain for 2-0 in the 12th.
Wojciech Szczesny stopped breaks from Francesco Caputo and Domenico Berardi and saved a nasty deflected drive by Mert Muldur, but on 29 minutes was beaten from close range by Filip Djuricic, who was inadvertently set up by Juve midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.
The Polish international keeper was stunned twice in three minutes early in the second half, staying frozen as Berardi curled a free-kick in the top right corner. Later he failed to block the striker’s cross for Caputo’s flick on 54.
Juve substitute Adrien Rabiot then missed a header and Cristiano Ronaldo fumbled in the box before Alex Sandro headed in a corner kick on 64.
Alex Sandro then cleared on the goal line after Szczesny bravely saved an effort by substitute Hamed Traore. A final crucial save denied home sub Mehdi Bourabia in stoppage time.
Fifth-place Roma beat Verona 2-1, having Jordan Veretout convert a penalty as the guests’ coach Ivan Juric was dismissed for his protests.
The Giallorossi captain Edin Dzeko then headed in before Verona pulled one back from Matteo Pessina.
AC Milan came back to beat Parma 3-1 and drew level on points with Napoli, who were held 1-1 against Bologna.
Milan held on to seventh place, which qualifies them for the Europa League as sixth-place Napoli are in the event through their Italian Cup success.
Jasmin Kurtic put Parma ahead in the 44th, clinically turning in a low feed, but Franck Kessie’s smashing shot and an Alessio Romagnoli header put the Devils up by the hour, before Hakan Calhanoglu’s firm effort.
In Bologna, Napoli defender Kostas Manolas headed in for an early lead that Musa Barrow levelled by firing into the far corner with 10 minutes left.
Sampdoria beat Cagliari 3-0 with a brace from Federico Bonazzoli following Manolo Gabbiadini’s opener and set themselves a nine-point buffer to the three-team drop zone.
Fiorentina moved seven points clear of trouble through a 3-1 defeat of Lecce, who stayed third from bottom.
Torino v Genoa and the Inter v SPAL match complete the 33rd round on Thursday.
