Rome (AFP)

Crossed destinies: Inter Milan, in turmoil in the Champions League, relaunched Saturday against Sassuolo (3-0) to climb on the Serie A podium, while Juventus, sovereign in C1, still has dropped points, against the promoted Benevento (1-1).

Without Cristiano Ronaldo, left to rest at home, the Turinese conceded their fifth draw in nine days.

Fifth, they can be joined by Atalanta Bergamo, Lazio Rome and Naples, who will host AS Roma (4th, 17 pts) on Sunday evening in the first league match at the "Maradona Stadium", as Napoli supporters have already renamed San Paolo.

The ex-Napoli number 10 is celebrated this weekend on the Serie A pitches, where he shone for seven years, with a minute of silence before kick-off and his portrait projected in the 10th minute of all meetings.

By then, Inter had already taken the lead against Sassuolo, whose defender Vlad Chiriches was not having a good day.

His counter clearance first opened the way to the goal for Alexis Sanchez (4th).

Then he himself deceived his goalkeeper on a strong cross from Arturo Vidal (14th).

Released through injury, he had nothing to do with the third goal, signed Roberto Gagliardini (60th).

First team to bring down Sassuolo, the sensation of the start of the season, Inter has nicely revived after the slap against Real Madrid (0-2) on Wednesday in the Champions League.

In addition to taking care of his attack (the best in Serie A with 23 goals), Inter was especially reassured in defense, its current weak point, against the sharp attackers of Sassuolo.

- Morata scorer and sent off -

"Our best game of the season? The result is good, but no, we have already made better performances," said coach Antonio Conte, calling for the sacred union before the capital trip Tuesday to Mönchengladbach in the League of champions, where Inter have no other alternative than victory to maintain a slim hope.

"At Inter, nothing is easy for the players, because there are always criticisms (...) but we must remain united, in good times as in bad", he added.

Juve, already qualified, no longer has to worry too much about C1 until the end of winter.

But Andrea Pirlo's team will have to pull themselves together in the league, especially if they want to win a tenth consecutive scudetto in the spring.

Alvaro Morata, the essential of the moment, however opened the scoring with a nice shot from the left (21st), signing his sixth goal in his last six matches.

But he failed to be, like Tuesday in the Champions League, the savior of the Bianconeri, by not framing his head (52nd).

And Dybala, even if he is better, is still lacking confidence in front of goal.

Benevento, for his part, brings together his coach "Pippo" Inzaghi, when he played for AC Milan alongside Pirlo: catchy and combative to the end.

The promoted equalized in additional time of the first half, on a beautiful end of Letizia (45th + 3), then bowed without bending.

Enough to leave the Turinese frustrated and annoyed, like Morata, excluded after the final whistle for protesting (90th + 7).

"There was unfortunately a little too much nervousness at the end, whereas on the contrary it would have taken more lucidity. We must continue to progress", commented Pirlo, noting the lack of "personality" of his team in absence of experienced players like Ronaldo, Chiellini or Bonucci, the three big absentees of the day.

© 2020 AFP