Inter closed in on the Serie A title despite being held to a 2-2 draw at lowly Chievo on Sunday after rivals AC Milan failed to take advantage with a 1-1 stalemate against Juventus.
Inter, who lead by seven points with three matches left, could have wrapped up the title this weekend had they won and Milan lost but now they can do so next weekend if either they beat Siena at home or Milan lose away to Udinese.
Inter got off to a flying start as Hernan Crespo made the most of only his second in the league all season.
After just three minutes Chievo keeper Stefano Sorrentino spilled a tame strike from Esteban Cambiasso, allowing Crespo to prod home the rebound.
The visitors threatened to run away with things as Luis Figo’s shot deflected off Nicolas Frey and came back off the post after another Sorrentino mistake.
But on 27 minutes Chievo struck back in stunning fashion as Michele Marcolini lashed in a left-foot drive from 25m.
Inter were back in front on 65 minutes through teenage forward Mario Balotelli with a goal even better than Marcolini’s: a rocket of a volley from just inside the area.
That appeared to be that, but the hosts struck back as Andrea Mantovani sent a deep cross over from the left to Brazilian Luciano at the back post on 73 minutes.
Inter full-back Maxwell had been drawn into the middle and he could not get back across quickly enough to stop Luciano side-footing home across Julio Cesar from 15m.
At the San Siro, Milan dominated but Juve created the more clearcut chances in an entertaining end-to-end game.
Milan went ahead fortuitously when Filippo Inzaghi crossed for Massimo Ambrosini and his scuffed shot wrong-footed Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and ran into the path of Clarence Seedorf to tap home into the empty net.
The lead lasted only three minutes, though, as Juve equalized on the hour when Vincenzo Iaquinta held off Mathieu Flamini to convert Mauro Camoranesi’s cross with a diving header from close range.
The result ended Milan’s run of five straight victories and took Juve’s spell without a win to six games.
In the day’s other matches, Fiorentina opened up a three-point lead over Genoa in the race for fourth place and Champions League soccer next season as they won 2-0 at Catania, while Genoa were held 1-1 at Atalanta.
At the bottom Torino stayed one point above the relegation zone after drawing 1-1 at home to Bologna, who are one place below them.
Lecce’s 1-1 home draw against Napoli kept them second-bottom, two points off Torino.
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