Napoli will have the upper hand over Juventus heading into next weekend’s Serie A title showdown in Turin after both Scudetto rivals secured narrow wins on Sunday.
The table-topping Azzurri are two points clear of reigning champions Juve following their slender 1-0 victory over Carpi. Gonzalo Higuain’s 24th goal of the season came from the penalty spot after Raffaele Bianco was dismissed.
Juve would have drawn level with Napoli before hosting the southerners on Saturday had their 2-0 triumph at Frosinone been coupled with a stalemate at the Stadio San Paolo – but they celebrated making history nonetheless.
Gonzalo Higuain scores his 24th goal in his 24th Serie A game of the season.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 7, 2016
Can't stop scoring right now. pic.twitter.com/8Qp2dcf24Q
Juan Cuadrado left it late to open the scoring with in-form forward Paulo Dybala notching in stoppage time to ensure Juve had managed to win 14 consecutive league games for the first time ever.
Massimiliano Allegri is confident the Bianconeri will be ready for next weekend’s top-of-the-table clash.
“It’ll be a fine game, it certainly won’t decide the Scudetto, but we’ll be ready for it,” Allegri told Mediaset. “We have important players that Napoli need to worry about.
“I can only compliment [Napoli coach] Maurizio Sarri, because he’s having a great campaign. It had been many years since Napoli were top of the table like this.”
He added on Sunday’s win: “The lads did well today, but could’ve done better. When you play certain games you know sooner or later a goal will arrive, so rushing just gives the opposition an advantage.”
Internazionale’s hopes of snatching the Scudetto continue to fade as the Nerazzurri were held to a 3-3 draw by basement boys Hellas Verona at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.
Roberto Mancini’s men recovered from two goals down after Filip Helander, Eros Pisano and Artur Ionita replied to Jeison Murillo’s early opener. Captain Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic then struck to salvage a point for Inter.
Elsewhere, Udinese checked AC Milan’s progress up the table by forcing a 1-1 draw at San Siro. Pablo Armero returned to hurt his former employers, meaning M’Baye Niang had to equalise for sixth-placed Milan.
Just behind the Rossoneri are Sassuolo, who were themselves thwarted by lowly opposition as struggling Palermo grabbed a 2-2 draw.
