Rome (AFP)

Swept at home by AC Milan (3-0), Lazio Rome let escape Juventus, who now have seven points ahead of the championship of Italy after being on his side imposed 4- 1 in front of Torino on Saturday during the 30th day.

Seven margin points, eight games to play and ninth straight title in sight. This 30th day, marked by the record of matches played in Serie A beaten by Gianluigi Buffon, was without doubt that of the decisive turning point.

Because beyond the large margin now available to the bianconeri, the impression left by the two candidates for the title was very different, Juve seeming in clear progress and light legs, while Lazio has spread its limits.

For the 200th Derby de la Mole, the tall tower in downtown Turin, the Torino (15th) confirmed its current difficulties and did not put up much resistance to Juve, who won without history.

The match will remain in the annals for the new peak reached by Buffon, who has become the only record player of the matches played in the Italian Championship with 648 appearances.

Buffon, who has been 42 since January, joined Paolo Maldini with 647 Serie A games in December. He hadn't played in the league since, only in the Italian Cup.

Beaten on a Belotti penalty just before the break, "Gigi" had a restful afternoon, with just a few stops to remind him that age has little control over him.

But Buffon mostly let his offensive partners do it, starting with the duo Dybala-Ronaldo, once again decisive.

In great shape, Dybala quickly launched the match by scoring in the 3rd minute after a slalom in the area which left two defenders of the "Toro" on the buttocks.

In the 29th minute, Cuadrado brought the score to 2-0 by brilliantly concluding a movement initiated by Dybala and relayed by Ronaldo.

- Strong Milan -

After the break, the Portuguese gave the bianconeri two goals in advance by scoring - finally! - his first direct free kick in the Turin jersey.

After an avalanche of strikes missed in the exercise since his arrival almost two years ago, Ronaldo this time found the perfect trajectory to deceive Sirigu. "I needed to score a free kick for my confidence," said the former Madrid after the match.

At the end of the match, Djidji awkwardly pushed for his own goal a center by Douglas Costa for the 4th goal of Juve (4-1, 87th).

The pressure was therefore present on Lazio's shoulders when it started its match against Milan at the Olympic Stadium. And we quickly understood that the absences of the two titular attackers, Immobile and Caicedo, were also going to weigh very heavy.

Harmless in front, also weighed down by the very poor match of its star Milinkovic-Savic, the team of the capital was clearly dominated and very logically beaten by AC Milan, which goes back to 6th place.

Milan's goals were scored by Calhanoglu and then Ibrahimovic from the penalty spot to celebrate his return as a titular player. And in the second period, Rebic added the third goal.

On Sunday, Inter Milan (3rd) will receive Bologna (12th) and will have the opportunity to return to a point from Lazio. Atalanta Bergamo (4th) will play in Cagliari (10th) while Naples (7th) and AS Rome (5th) will play an important match in the Europa League race.

© 2020 AFP