The Laziali managed a nice coup in the battle for the Champions League by putting the Wolf (5th) to five points and overtaking the Nerazzurri (3rd) lacking confidence, beaten three times in four games.

As against Sassuolo (3-4) a week earlier, Roma scuttled with the two warnings received in 32 minutes by Roger Ibanez, already unfortunate hero of the derby in the first leg with a big error that gave Lazio the victory on the same score (1-0).

The derby hitherto closed and choppy but relatively balanced, then became complicated for Jose Mourinho's team, suspended. Giallorosso goalkeeper Rui Patricio delayed the deadline but could not do anything on the perfect cross-shot of Mattia Zaccagni (65th), author of nine goals, as much as Ciro Immobile, back from injury and remained on the bench.

"When you win these games, you gain confidence. The ranking will allow us to look forward, "said on DAZN the scorer of the day.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen (r) in front of Torino defender Perr Schuurs, on March 19, 2023 in Turin © Marco BERTORELLO / AFP

Rabiot smuggler

Inter Milan then needed to win to retain second place. But they stumbled against a well-organised Juventus and were trapped by a cross-shot from Filip Kostic (23rd), served by Adrien Rabiot. A goal validated after four minutes of VAR analysis for possible hands of Rabiot and Vlahovic.

"It's an unacceptable goal, it's too serious what happened," said interim coach Simone Inzaghi, convinced that the Frenchman helped himself with his arm.

Juve maintains their dreams of a crazy climb back into the Top-4 despite their fifteen-point penalty for accounting fraud. The Bianconeri (7th) are only seven points from fourth place, qualifying for the C1 and occupied by AC Milan, beaten Saturday in Udine (3-1).

This new misstep of the Interists also benefits Napoli whose mattress in the lead still thickens to 19 points, eleven days from the end. If Juve's appeal against his penalty does not succeed, Napoli have only five games left to win to secure the title.

It is anyway only a matter of time given the form still displayed by Napoli, four days after validating its place for the quarters of the Champions League at the expense of Eintracht Frankfurt (3-0).

Already twice scorer against the Germans, Victor Osimhen placed two winning headers, the first to open the scoring on corner (9th), the second for 3-0 from the resumption (51st).

Lazio midfielder Mattia Zaccagni (r) scored against AS Roma on March 19, 2023 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome © Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

21 goals for Osimhen

The striker, whose protective mask has become the fashionable accessory among Neapolitan fans, establishes his place as leader in the scoring table with 21 goals.

The ex-Lille thanked the thousands of Neapolitan tifosi who came to Turin for the resumption of fan travel after two months of suspension imposed by the authorities after "ultras" from Naples and Roma had wreaked havoc on an Italian motorway in early January.

"They have believed in it for years (in the scudetto, editor's note), nobody deserves it more than the tifosi of Napoli," said the Neapolitan striker, who advances to an average of one goal per game in 2023.

His partner Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also took care of his statistics with a goal, his 12th, on penalty kick (35th) and an assist, his 10th (best assist), on the fourth goal by Tanguy Ndombélé (68th).

Napoli's Neapolitan striker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (r) is ahead of Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci on March 19, 2023 in Turin © Marco BERTORELLO / AFP

At the bottom of the table, Sampdoria, red lantern before this day, maintained its hopes of maintenance by dominating another relegable Hellas Verona (18th) thanks in particular to a double of Manolo Gabbiadini (3-1).

© 2023 AFP