Rome (AFP)

AC Milan, even without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, even at ten, even under pressure from Inter Milan, found the resources to defend his chair as leader of the Italian Championship on the ground of Benevento (2-0), three days before his shock against Juventus, Sunday during the 15th day.

Behind the fight at the top between Rossoneri (37 pts) and Nerazzurri (36 pts), easy winners of Crotone (6-2), Roma showed character to defend their third place (30 pts) against a catchy Sampdoria (1 -0).

Victory also, and with the manner, for Naples (4-1 in Cagliari) and Atalanta Bergamo (5-1 against Sassuolo), while waiting for Juventus, which welcomes Udinese without Alvaro Morata (discomfort in the right thigh ) in the evening, at the end of an intense Sunday of recovery when the twenty teams were on the field.

- Unsinkable Milan at ten -

The Rossoneri's goal ahead obtained thanks to a penalty snatched by Ante Rebic and transformed by Franck Kessié (15th) did not weigh heavily when they found themselves at ten, after the exclusion of Sandro Tonali (34th).

But Gianluigi Donnarumma, saved by his post (20th), multiplied decisive interventions.

And Rafael Leao, on the other hand, doubled the stake early in the second half of a clever pivot lob that Ibrahimovic would not have denied, absent due to injury since the end of November.

Enough to disgust the Benevento of ex-Milanese "Pippo" Inzaghi, who even missed a penalty by Gianluca Caprari (61st).

Stefano Pioli's young team, without Theo Hernandez (suspended), is now unbeaten for 27 matches in the league, at the time of testing its ambitions in the clash against Juventus on Wednesday in San Siro.

"Against Juve, it will not yet be a decisive match, nor a passing of the baton. For me Juve, Inter and Napoli remain the strongest," said the coach.

- Inter in the "roller coaster" -

Eighth victory in eight matches for Inter Milan, on a "scudetto mission" to forget its early elimination from all European competitions.

Hanging on the break (2-2), Inter relied again on their duo Romelu Lukaku-Lautaro Martinez.

The Belgian (one goal, co-top scorer with Cristiano Ronaldo with twelve goals) and the Argentine (three goals) are involved on five of the six goals.

"Even when I'm not scoring, I still work for the team. And if I score, so much the better," said Martinez, author of his first treble in Serie A.

Faced with the promoted Calabrian, again red lantern after the awakening of Torino (3-0) in Parma, the 2021 Inter version looked furiously like the 2020 model: an offensively impressive team (best Serie A artillery with 40 goals) but still irregular, like Arturo Vidal, guilty on the penalty which allowed Crotone to return to 2-2.

"He has significant room for improvement. He has to work, head down, and pedal. Nobody has a guaranteed place at Inter," Conte warned, after replacing the 33-year-old Chilean at half-time.

"Calm is the virtue of the strong," Vidal replied, a bit enigmatic on Instagram.

- Roma clings to the podium -

Under a downpour, a goal from Edin Dzeko was enough for the happiness of Roma, who for a long time stumbled on a wait-and-see Sampdoria, determined to take a point at the Olimpico stadium.

"The team is more balanced and has more experience than last season," said Paulo Fonseca, delighted coach of a team not necessarily expected so high in the standings.

Roma keep two points ahead of Napoli, on the lookout after their clear victory in Cagliari (4-1).

Napoli steals fourth place from Sassuolo, who continues to struggle against the bigger cars.

The Neroverdi collapsed in Bergamo (1-5) against an Atalanta found after its slack in November.

The "Dea" no longer has its "Papu" Gomez, dismissed by coach Gian Piero Gasperini, but has sharp legs and scorers (doubled by Duvan Zapata, new winning entry from Luis Muriel).

In this near flawless "European" teams, only Lazio missed the start of the year, unable to win at the relegation Genoa (1-1) and now ninth.

© 2021 AFP