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The 27-year-old suffered a serious knee injury back in January but has made a swift recovery to boost his hopes of featuring at the World Cup
Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi has returned to training after more than three months out with a knee injury.
The Italy international has been unavailable since January when he suffered ligament damage in his right knee in a Serie A clash with Livorno.
Fiorentina had been hopeful of having the forward available for the club's Coppa Italia final with Napoli on May 2, and that may now be possible after he came through full training on Tuesday.
Rossi's return will also be a boost for Italy boss Cesare Prandelli ahead of the World Cup in Brazil later this year.
Prandelli has previously claimed he will give Rossi every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the tournament in Brazil.
Mario Gomez is also targeting the cup final for a possible return, but reportedly remains on a different training regime.
The German missed five months earlier in the season with a serious ligament injury, also in his right knee, and his return in March proved brief as he suffered a sprain to his left knee in the 1-0 win at Napoli.
Fiorentina currently sit fourth in Serie A and look set to claim a spot in next season's Europa League.
Silvio Berlusconi's company Fininvest insist they will not relinquish control of the club, despite reports of a €500m offer for the Italian giants
AC Milan chiefs have reiterated that the club is not for sale, despite rumours of a takeover by Singapore businessman Peter Lim.
Italian media claimed on Thursday that the billionaire investor had offered €500million for a majority stake of the San Siro outfit.
As well as Lim, reports claim that Chinese beverage magnate Zong Qinghou is also eyeing a potential takeover.
However, Fininvest - controlled by Milan chairman Silvio Berlusconi - have issued a denial and insisted there will be no control in ownership, having previously also moved to quell the rumours in March.
A statement read: "With regard to rumours reported by the press, Fininvest again denies any possibility of transfer of control of Milan."
Milan have had a tumultuous season on and off the pitch this season.
Rumours of a dispute between joint vice-chairs Adriano Galliani and Barbara Berlusconi have been prominent throughout the campaign, while on the field Milan are a huge 39 points off leaders Juventus and currently sit seventh.
There has been an upturn in fortunes in the past month, however, as Clarence Seedorf's men have racked up five consecutive Serie A victories, giving them a chance of sealing a spot in the Europa League.
Former Inter and AC Milan coach Leonardo has no regrets after his short stints coaching the Serie A powerhouses.
The Brazilian, 44, was handed the reins at Milan in 2009 for his first mentoring role, but would last just one season before hopping to rivals Inter, and seeing out only one Serie A campaign there too.
Out of the coaching hot seat for almost three years now, Leonardo said he does not rue any opportunity missed at the Milanese clubs.
"I left Milan because of personal problems and misunderstandings, seeing as I started to feel left to one side by the club," Leonardo told UOL Esporte.
"I was free at that point to accept any proposal and I had an excellent rapport with Massimo Moratti. I accepted the challenge of coaching Inter, which for me was a grand experience.
"Anyone who decides to join your team's arch-rivals has to pay a price, which is perfectly normal criticism.
"My respect for Milan never mutated and neither has my affection for Inter."
Since his tenure at Inter, Leonardo was involved with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, before ending his stint with the club in August.
Leonardo said he had no choice but to move to France, given the attractive offer on the table.
"I have nothing to regret. I left Italy because I received a proposal that was unique in football, as PSG offered me total freedom and autonomy to build a team worthy of the Champions League," he said.
"I had to accept their offer, just as the offers from Milan and Inter could not be passed up."
Hamann: Benitez would be a very good match for United
23 April 2014
Dietmar Hamann believes Napoli head coach Rafael Benitez would be the ideal candidate to replace David Moyes at Manchester United.
Moyes' tenure was cut short after less than 12 months of his six-year deal on Tuesday, following a disappointing debut campaign at Old Trafford that saw United surrender their Premier League crown meekly, while qualification for the UEFA Champions League is out of the club's reach.
Club stalwart Ryan Giggs has been placed in temporary charge, but is not thought to be among the contenders to take on the role on a permanent basis.
Benitez's name has not been mentioned among the front-runners to become the next United boss, the Spaniard's previous time in charge of rivals Liverpool would make his appointment an unpopular one among the Old Trafford supporters.
Furthermore, Benitez - who also had a spell as interim manager at Chelsea - had several run-ins with Moyes' predecessor Alex Ferguson, who is a United legend after 27 trophy-laden years in at the helm.
But Hamann - who enjoyed a successful spell playing under Benitez at Liverpool - believes the 54-year-old's Premier League experience makes him the ideal candidate to take over.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: "It is certainly a name they should consider.
"They need somebody with a track record who can work with the big players, who knows what is required to get in the Champions League and play a big role in it for years to come.
"Rafa Benitez is in Italy at Napoli but his family still lives in the north west and he has always made it clear that he would love to return to the Premier League at some stage.
"The way it is going at Liverpool, I don't think he will be there any time soon and he has been at Chelsea, so there are not too many clubs out there for him. I don't think Arsenal will suit him.
"He, and Manchester United, will be a very good match. He had a few run-ins with Fergie but he only pointed out a few facts, as he would say.
"If I was a United fan I would want somebody who gives you the best possible chance to get back in the Champions League."
Serie A Preview: Juventus out to seal title, Roma host Milan
23 April 2014
Juventus can virtually secure a third consecutive Serie A title with victory over lowly Sassuolo on Monday.
With four games remaining, Antonio Conte's Juve are eight points clear of rivals Roma at the summit after Saturday's 1-0 victory over Bologna, their third on the bounce.
Juve, who are on track to break the 100-point barrier for the first time in Serie A history, have collected 90 points after 34 rounds, with Roma managing 82 from the same amount of games.
The Italian giants are set to meet early next month but that clash could be made redundant if Juve take the points from their trip to the Stadio Citta del Tricolore and Roma fail to beat AC Milan this weekend.
And Juve are expected to get the better of the relegation-threatened outfit, who will be without three key players.
Sassuolo climbed out of the drop zone with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Chievo but it came at a cost, with top scorer Domenico Berardi, Davide Biondini and Simone Missiroli receiving one-match bans after picking up yellow cards.
As for Roma, they are guaranteed a top-two finish and UEFA Champions League football next season.
Rudi Garcia's team have exceeded all expectations this season and while they are eight points off the pace, their manager has not given up on claiming silverware.
But the Rome-based club, who have won eight on the bounce, must beat seventh-placed Milan at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday if they are to keep their faint title hopes alive.
Milan are in good form themselves, unbeaten in six matches since their 4-2 defeat to Parma last month.
Roma's most recent match against Milan on home soil was last season, when Erik Lamela (now at Tottenham) scored twice in a 4-2 victory.
In other fixtures over the weekend, Inter Milan and Napoli go head-to-head in a game that pits fifth against third on Saturday.
Fourth-placed Fiorentina will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to Roma when they travel to Bologna.
Roberto Donadoni's Parma, sixth in the standings, can keep their hopes of European football alive with a win at Cagliari.
Out-of-form Livorno, who are second from bottom and facing the drop, entertain ninth-placed Lazio.
Elsewhere, high-flying Torino host Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino and Sampdoria tackle Chievo.
Cellar dwellers Catania are on the road against Hellas Verona, while Atalanta are at home to Genoa.
Two of Serie A's in-form sides collide at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday as a rampant Roma host the resurgent Milan.
Roma have kept the pressure on league leaders Juventus with an outstanding run of eight successive wins that has seen them clinch second position in the table.
They have secured a berth in the group stages of next season's UEFA Champions League as a result, and although they are unlikely to catch Juve - who lead by eight points with just four matches left - Rudi Garcia has still done a tremendous job in his first campaign in charge.
Roma have lost just twice in the league this season, and beat fourth-placed Fiorentina 1-0 away last time out.
Radja Nainggolan's first-half goal was enough for the capital club, who have had 10 different players score during their winning streak.
Mattia Destro scored seven in six games before getting suspended following a 3-1 win at Cagliari earlier this month and he remains on the sidelines.
They have found other avenues to goal in his absence, though, and Garcia will be calling on the likes of Gervinho and veteran captain Francesco Totti to fill the void again.
However, Milan have every reason to feel confident of pulling off an upset after five Serie A wins in a row lifted them to seventh.
Key to Milan's run has been defensive stability, with Clarence Seedorf's side conceding just once in their winning streak.
Mario Balotelli has returned to form, while Brazilian Kaka is showing the sort of class that made him such a hit in his first spell at the club.
Milan have a tricky fortnight ahead, with the trip to Roma followed by a derby against Inter - who sit just five points ahead of them in fifth.
But despite the potential stakes in the cross-town clash in terms of a European berth, midfielder Sulley Muntari says all their energy is going into stopping Roma.
"The whole squad is doing well and we hope to continue this run until the end of the season," Muntari told Milan Channel.
"These next two games are going to be difficult, but we can't get ahead of ourselves - we must focus first on Roma. Only after that game can we think about the derby.
"We'll go to the Olimpico and do what Mr (Clarence) Seedorf (Milan coach) tells us. Thankfully, everything is going well for us at the moment. We're going match by match."
Muntari returned from a calf injury to make an appearance off the bench in the club's 3-0 win over Livorno on Saturday.
Nigel De Jong will be suspended for Milan, while Keisuke Honda (ankle), Mattia De Sciglio (ankle) and Michael Essien (thigh) are doubtful.
Young striker Stephan El Shaarawy could also feature off the bench for his first Milan appearance since December after recovering from a foot injury.
Roma - who fielded an all-Brazilian back four last week in the absence of Mehdi Benatia (thigh) and Federico Balzaretti (hernia) - will continue to be without midfielder Kevin Strootman (knee).
The Croatian midfielder has encouraged Walter Mazzarri to try to sign the Manchester City striker and has insisted he is not thinking of leaving the club
Mateo Kovacic has backed the Inter hierarchy to make a move for Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko in the summer transfer window.
The Giuseppe Meazza side are keen to add some more firepower to their squad at the end of the season and have been linked with a number of strikers, including Dzeko, Chesea's Fernando Torres and Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international has a contract with City until the summer of 2015, but Kovacic is hopeful the 28-year-old could be the man to take Inter to the next level in 2014-15.
"Inter are missing a top player. I would go for Edin Dzeko," the Croatia international was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"He is technically strong, scores a lot of goals and is always ready to help out the team defensively."
The youngster then went on to discuss his future and insisted that he is not thinking about leaving Inter in the near future.
"I am feeling very well here at Inter. I am only thinking about the last four games of the season and the World Cup."
The 19-year-old's contract with the Nerazzurriruns until June 2017.
AC Milan boss Seedorf: Ancelotti comparisons 'embarrassing'
Apr 25, 2014 12:39:00 AM
The Dutchman has overseen a run of five successive wins in Serie A but he thinks it ludicrous that he is now being mentioned in the same breadth as the Rossoneri icon
AC Milan boss Clarence Seedorf has admitted that he finds the fact that he is now been compared to Carlo Ancelotti as "a bit embarrassing".
The Dutchman only called time on his playing career in January in order to succeed the sacked Massimiliano Allegri as Rossoneri coach and, after a disastrous start to his second spell at San Siro, there was mounting speculation that he would be fired just two months into the job.
However, after a run of five successive Serie A victories, Seedorf is now being compared to Milan legend Ancelotti by some sections of the Italian press - a development that the former Netherlands international finds ridiculous.
"The comparisons with Ancelotti are a bit embarrassing for me," he told reporters on Thursday. "I’ve just started and he’s been around for a long time and won everything."
Seedorf was even reluctant to take any credit for the Rossoneri's resurgence in recent weeks.
“Credit for the last five wins goes to the players who have shown the desire necessary to get out of a negative period," the former midfield ace insisted.
"We want to improve even more before the end of the season. I think we have to continue with what we’ve done in the last five matches."
However, standing between Milan and sixth consecutive win are Rudi Garcia's Roma, who currently sit second and have not yet given up hope of overturning their eight-point deficit to leaders Juventus.
“We’re heading to Rome knowing that we’re in good form," Seedorf stated. "But I have a lot of respect for the Garcia and the team.
"He’s in his first year in Serie A and he’s looking to impose his game and his ideas. I don’t know if we’d be able to stop their individual players as that would be very complicated given their quality.
"We’ll just have to play well as a team and try to play our game."
There was initial speculation that striker Stephan El Shaarawy could make his long-awaited comeback in the game at the Stadio Olimpico, but Seedorf is reluctant to jeopardise the forward's fitness by rushing his return.
“El Shaarawy hasn’t played for seven months and we have to make sure he’s in the best shape to come back," the four-time Champions League winner explained.
"I think he’ll be ready very soon. We want to get him back playing 70 minutes with the Primavera side but we don’t want to take any risks for a player so important to Milan and the national side."
Torino have announced the signing of Sweden international defender Pontus Jansson from Malmo for next season on a free transfer.
The 23-year-old centre-back has been linked with moves to the Premier League and Serie A after impressing in his home country, with Torino winning the race for his signature.
Jansson will be out of contract at the end of 2013-14 and Torino confirmed on Thursday that he will join them in August.
"Torino Football Club is delighted to announce that as of 1 August 2014, the Swedish defender Pontus Jansson will be registered for Torino FC," the club announced on their official website.
Jansson has recently broken into the Sweden national team and could force his way into Erik Hamren's squad for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
He will join a Torino squad on course for a top-half finish in Serie A this season, with 49 points from their 34 games.
Rafael Benitez faces Inter at the San Siro on Saturday for the first time since they sacked him as Napoli look to secure third in Serie A.
The Spaniard spent a turbulent six months at the Milan outfit in 2010 before he was relieved of his duties by former owner Massimo Moratti and returns for the first time on Saturday, when both sides have European qualification in mind.
Benitez has cemented Napoli's place in the top three in his first season at the club and can guarantee UEFA Champions League football this weekend.
If Napoli can match, or better Fiorentina's result against Bologna they will be assured of a place in the qualifying rounds next season, while Inter are on course to seal their spot in the UEFA Europa League.
Walter Mazzarri has not had an easy first season at the helm after leaving Napoli to take over at San Siro, but they have a five-point advantage over Parma and city rivals Milan in the race for fifth place.
Inter are unbeaten in five games and if they can extend that to six against Benitez's side, then they will fancy their chances of securing a European spot.
They come into the clash having scored six goals without reply in their last two games and will look to 17-goal striker Rodrigo Palacio for inspiration.
The 32-year-old Argentina international, Inter's leading scorer, knows they will have to be at their best in order to extend their unbeaten run.
"We have Napoli, another difficult match, and it is important for us to put in a great performance to try to qualify for the Europa League," he told Inter's official website.
"We're looking good at the moment and I think we're having a decent season."
Both sides will be depleted in defence through suspension, but it is Inter who will be affected the most, with Rolando and Walter Samuel serving one-match bans, while Juan (knee) and Jonathan (shoulder) are injury concerns.
Napoli will be without the suspended Federico Fernandez, but otherwise should have a fully fit squad for Benitez to pick from bar Christian Maggio, who is still recovering from a collapsed lung.
Roma dented Milan's hopes of UEFA Europa League qualification as they cruised to a 2-0 win on Friday to keep the Serie A title race alive.
Milan headed into the game on the back of five straight wins, a run which has seen them move into seventh and within striking distance of a place in Europe's second-tier club competition.
But the visitors' winning streak was brought to an end by an impressive performance from Roma, which moves them within five points of leaders Juventus, who visit Sassuolo on Monday.
A draw or a defeat for Roma at the Stadio Olimpico would have handed Juve the chance to seal a third straight Scudetto, but goals from Miralem Pjanic and Gervinho kept the capital club's hopes intact for at least another week.
Pjanic opened the scoring in the 43rd minute for Rudi Garcia's side, highlighting a virtuoso midfield display with a breath-taking individual goal.
The visitors rarely threatened to equalise and Gervinho pounced on Christian Abbiati's error 20 minutes into the second half to wrap up the points and take their title fight a week further.
Unchanged from their 1-0 win at Fiorentina last week, the hosts had the better of a scrappy first half, full-back Dodo going close after 20 minutes when he volleyed over the bar from just inside the area.
Garcia's men continued to enjoy greater possession in the opening period and may have taken the lead if not for the defensive work of Adil Rami, who blocked a seemingly goal-bound effort from Pjanic after the Bosnian had skipped into the box.
However, the former Lyon man did find the net in spectacular fashion just before the half-time interval.
Having played a one-two with Francesco Totti midway inside the Milan half, Pjanic elegantly surged beyond Sulley Muntari, Riccardo Montolivo and Rami before coolly slotting past Abbiati.
Milan started the second half brightly and spurned a half-chance as Montolivo fired wide from Kaka's pull back.
Pjanic remained a danger, though, and was denied a second as Abbiati produced a strong save after the 24-year-old had collected Totti's square pass from a free-kick.
But the Milan goalkeeper was at fault as Roma doubled their lead, failing to handle a well-struck Totti effort and presenting Gervinho with the simple task of netting from two yards.
Clarence Seedorf's men offered little in the way of a replay as Roma eased to a comfortable win that plunges Milan's hopes of salvaging something from a disappointing season into doubt.
Mario Gomez may not feature again for Fiorentina this season, with the striker's knee injury making him a doubt for the FIFA World Cup.
The Germany international has started just five Serie A matches during his maiden campaign in Italy, with only two of those appearances coming since September.
Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella is concerned Gomez has taken the field for the last time this term.
"I fear we won't see him again this season," said Montella on Friday.
"That is my sensation, seeing as he's not even training with the team yet.
"It's a shame, as we hardly had him at our disposal. Perhaps there have been a few too many opinions expressed on his injuries."
Montella's update casts doubt over Gomez's chances of making Germany's World Cup squad.
Fiorentina have also been forced to cope without Italy forward Giuseppe Rossi, who injured his knee in January but could yet return for next week's Coppa Italia final against Napoli.
"Will Rossi be available for the Coppa Italia final? I hope so," added Montella.
"That is the hope of a coach, but we'll have to see if his fitness levels remain like this or improve."
Juventus forward Carlos Tevez vies with Benfica goalkeeper Artur Moraes during their UEFA Europa League semifinal first leg football match at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on April 24, 2014. Benfica won 2-1. Photo: Nampa-AFP
ROME - Closing in on its third successive Serie A title, Juventus will be watching very closely when second-place Roma hosts an AC Milan squad that is on a five-match winning streak Friday.
If Roma fails to beat Milan and Juventus then wins at relegation-threatened Sassuolo on Monday, the Turin club will have clinched the championship.
With four rounds remaining, Juve holds an eight-point advantage.
Juve also holds the edge over Roma following their 3-0 win against the capital club in January. However the overall head-to-head record between the two sides won't be finalized until the penultimate round when Roma hosts the Turin club. In the unlikely event that both teams are level on points before or after they face each other, their head-to-head fixtures will determine the destination of the title.
Here are five things to know about Serie A entering the 35th round:
RESILIENT ROMA: The Giallorossi are on a seven-match winning streak and refuse concede the title until it is mathematically out of reach.
"I still believe in the scudetto. Anything is still possible," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said Wednesday. "Although clearly we have to win all of our matches, starting with Milan. And if that happens then let's see what Juve does with Sassuolo. If Juve doesn't win, then everything will be wide open."
With a 1-0 win at fourth-place Fiorentina last weekend, Juve clinched at least second place and direct entry to the Champions League.
"I want to stay at Roma, but with a competitive squad that can play the Champions League and fight for the scudetto at the same time," said Garcia, a Frenchman who is completing an impressive first season in Italy. "We're not going to play the Champions League to win it - because the way things stand now that's not possible - but I want to at least be a factor in the group stage and reach the second round."
MILAN SUITORS: Singapore tycoon Peter Lim has reportedly made a US$700 million offer to purchase AC Milan.
The Gazzetta dello Sport splashed the offer on its front page Thursday and it didn't take long for Fininvest, the holding company of Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, to issue a statement saying it "denies once again any possible sale for control of Milan."
Lim met with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani recently, the Gazzetta reported, adding that Chinese beverage magnate Zong Quinghou is also interested in buying a stake in the club.
Serie A is slowly falling into international hands. Indonesian entrepreneur Erick Thohir spent upwards of US$350 million for a 70 percent stake in Inter Milan in October, and a four-man group of Boston investors took control of Roma in 2011 to become the first foreign owners in Italy.
ROSSI'S RETURN: Giuseppe Rossi has begun training regularly with Fiorentina and could be included in the squad for Saturday's match at Bologna.
Rossi led Serie A with 14 goals in 17 games before injuring the medial collateral ligament in his right knee following a hard tackle by Livorno's Leandro Rinaudo on Jan. 5 - the latest in a series of knee problems for the United States-born forward.
EUROPA LEAGUE PLACES: Eight squads are still in the hunt for two or three Europa League places.
The fourth- and fifth-placed squads will qualify and sixth place could also gain a spot in the qualifying stages since the winner of the Italian Cup final between Napoli and Fiorentina also gets a spot.
With Napoli almost assured of finishing third and going to Champions League qualifying and Fiorentina likely to finish fourth or fifth, those clubs probably won't need to use the Cup final spot.
The standings read: Fiorentina (58 points), Inter (56), Parma (51), Milan (51), Torino (49), Lazio (49), Hellas Verona (49), Atalanta (46).
DANGER ZONE: It's a tight battle to avoid relegation with the five bottom clubs within seven points of each other and three set to be demoted to Serie B.
Chievo Verona has 30 points, Sassuolo 28, Bologna 28, Livorno 25 and Catania 23.
There is only one more direct meeting remaining among the five teams, with Bologna to host Catania in the penultimate round. - Nampa-AP
Serie A Wrap: Inter hold Napoli, Fiorentina beat Bologna
26 April 2014
Napoli edged closer to securing third spot in Serie A by drawing 0-0 at Inter on Saturday, but Fiorentina kept up the pressure.
Rafa Benitez's men saw their lead over the Florence club cut to eight points as they were frustrated at San Siro.
Napoli should have claimed victory against the Spaniard's former employers, but they were left to rue wasteful finishing.
And indeed there could yet be worse news for Benitez - and potentially World Cup-bound Argentina - after striker Gonzalo Higuain was carried off on a stretcher late on with an ankle injury.
An even first half saw both teams craft opportunities, but Napoli forward Jose Callejon could not convert to give his side the advantage, while goalkeeper Pepe Reina was rarely troubled.
The visitors went close again early in the second period, but Jorginho was denied in the 50th minute.
Higuain also had chances before his injury forced him off, while Gokhan Inler struck a post in the final 20 minutes.
Despite the draw, Napoli remain strong favourites to clinch third in the battle for UEFA Champions League football with three games remaining.
But Fiorentina at least ensured that the race was extended with a routine 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Bologna.
Juan Cuadrado and Josip Ilicic scored in the first half to give the Coppa Italia finalists a commanding lead going into the break.
Fiorentina denied Bologna an unlikely fight back and wrapped up the points in the 87th minute when Colombia international Cuadrado grabbed his second of the day.
Serie A Wrap: Trio victorious in race for Europa League
27 April 2014
Torino, Lazio and Verona all won in Serie A on Sunday as the race for the final UEFA Europa League spot looks set to go down to the wire.
With Coppa Italia finalists Napoli and Fiorentina all-but assured of a top-five finish this season, sixth place in the league will earn a place in next year's competition, and the race looks set to be a tight one with five clubs separated by just one point with three matches remaining.
Torino, Lazio and Verona are all level on 52 points, while Parma and Milan sit a point behind in ninth and 10th spots respectively.
Giampiero Ventura's Torino were victorious on Sunday, seeing off Udinese 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Omar El Kaddouri on 15 minutes and Ciro Immobile 11 minutes after the break - the striker's 21st league goal of the season.
He is now two clear of Verona's Luca Toni, who opened the scoring in the sixth minute of their 4-0 home win over bottom club Catania.
Alberto Frison's own goal doubled the advantage on 28 minutes, before Marquinho on the stroke of half-time and substitute Juan Gomez 15 minutes from the end sealed a comprehensive win for Andrea Mandorlini's men.
Lazio kept pace with their rivals thanks to a 2-0 away success at struggling Livorno.
Stefano Mauri put the visitors in front after quarter of an hour, and Antonio Candreva's penalty six minutes after the interval sealed Lazio's win.
The result saw Edoardo Reja's men leapfrog Parma, who went down 1-0 at Cagliari thanks to Mauricio Pinilla's 35th-minute penalty.
Elsewhere, Sampdoria ended a three-match losing streak in dramatic fashion by beating Chievo 2-1 at home, despite going down to 10 men.
Shkodran Mustafi was shown a straight red card for a foul on Chievo's Victor Obinna midway through the second half.
Cyril Thereau tucked away the resulting spot-kick before Samp staged a surprise comeback in the final 10 minutes, Eder pulling them level before Roberto Soriano won it for the home side in stoppage time.
The late turnaround comes as a huge blow to Chievo, who sit 16th in the table, just two points above the drop zone.
In the day's final game, Atalanta drew 1-1 at home with 10-man Genoa.
The visitors went in front in the 27th minute through Paolo De Ceglie, but were dealt a blow shortly after half-time when Daniele Portanova was sent off for a foul on German Denis inside the area.
Denis saw the resulting spot-kick kept out by Mattia Perin, but his blushes were saved when substitute Giuseppe De Luca rescued a point for the home side eight minutes from time.
Napoli are still sweating on the injury sustained by forward Gonzalo Higuain in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Inter.
The Argentina striker was forced off in the closing stages of the San Siro clash after a heavy challenge from home defender Marco Andreolli.
Higuain had to be stretchered from the field and received oxygen as he appeared to be in serious pain.
Napoli confirmed the former Real Madrid man has suffered a painful impact injury to his ankle, though a timescale for his return is yet to be defined.
Rafael Benitez will be desperate for Higuain to regain his fitness as soon as possible with next week's Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina looming.
A club statement read: "Strong blunt trauma to the right tibia. This the outcome of examinations submitted this morning on Gonzalo Higuain after the collision during Inter-Napoli with Andreolli.
"Clinical tests have confirmed what was first diagnosed yesterday.
"(Higuain) today did therapy and his condition will be evaluated in the coming days."
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella will also take a keen interest in the fitness of Higuain, who is expected to be a part of his FIFA World Cup plans.
Verona striker Luca Toni believes winning Serie A's golden boot would be an "extraordinary" feat at his age.
Toni, who turns 37 in May, netted two first-half goals on Sunday as Verona cruised to a 4-0 home win over rock-bottom Catania.
The forward moved to Verona on a free transfer from Fiorentina in July and has been a hit at his new club, with his latest double taking him to 20 goals in 31 Serie A appearances.
After moving level with Torino's Ciro Immobile, Toni thinks he could become the league's top scorer and is motivated by the club's push for European football.
Italy's continental spots are usually limited to five but sixth – a place Verona are challenging for - should also provide a berth in the UEFA Europa League with Coppa Italia finalists Napoli and Fiorentina set to finish in the top five.
Toni told Sky Sport Italia: "I didn't believe I could win the Capocannoniere (golden boot) award this season, but now I am on 20 goals with Immobile and it would be something extraordinary at my age.
"I haven't scored a hat-trick yet this season and wanted to do that so I could give the match ball to my daughter.
"I am a striker, I really care about goals, but it's over now and I'm focused on the next game.
"Verona have nothing to lose in the race for Europe and (we have) three tough matches coming up.
"We'll be fired up and know we can make history. We'll see where we are in three weeks."
Toni also said he had acknowledged he would not feature at this year's FIFA World Cup.
The forward, who played a part in Italy's 2006 World Cup win, was not involved in Cesare Prandelli's 42-man training camp in Coverciano earlier this month.
"I don't need to send Cesare Prandelli any messages," he added.
"He named his larger squad without me or Francesco Totti, so everyone has to just accept it and stop going on about this."
Antonio Conte is relishing an "intense" week as Juventus look to move closer to the Serie A title and UEFA Europa League final.
Juve face Sassuolo on Monday knowing a win will move them eight points clear with three games remaining in Serie A, while Thursday's home clash with Benfica provides the opportunity to reach a European final.
The Portuguese side hold a 2-1 lead going into the second leg but, with an away goal and a 27-match unbeaten home run behind them, Conte's side have a good chance of reaching the final, which will be held at the Juventus Stadium.
Conte admitted maintaining momentum on two fronts had been tough, but praised the way his squad have adapted to the challenge.
"Perhaps more than intense it is exciting," said the head coach. "The first year we weren't in Europe, last season we went out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals and this term we're going forward in the Europa League.
"It's the first time we have been challenging on two fronts to the end of the campaign.
"It is tough and tiring, but very exciting and this scenario has to become habitual for Juventus.
"In just three years we managed to take Juventus to compete for more than one trophy to the end, which was another of our objectives when beginning this adventure."
However, Conte expects a tough challenge against strugglers Sassuolo who are battling to preserve their top-flight status, currently sitting above the drop zone on goal difference.
"This is an important game, a fundamental one, as a victory would put our hands on the Scudetto," he added.
"We know it's not easy, as Sassuolo are fighting for safety, so we'll need to be very wary, but go there to achieve our primary objective, which I repeat is the Scudetto."
Conte expects to have Arturo Vidal back after a knee problem, although he may not risk him in the league, while Andrea Barzagli is a doubt with a calf injury.
The two coaches have been involved in a war of words in the last few days and the Frenchman believes the pressure is getting to his Juve counterpart
Roma coach Rudi Garcia has suggested that Juventus counterpart Antonio Conte is feeling the strain of the Serie A title race.
Garcia and Conte have been involved in a war of words over the past few days as Roma chase defending champions Juve.
Conte blasted Garcia as "provincial" after Garcia called on other teams in the Italian top flight to up their game against the league leaders.
Juve lead Roma by five points ahead of Monday's clash with Sassuolo and Conte labelled Garcia's comments as "bar talk."
However, Garcia has now hit back once more, hinting that nerves maybe getting the better of Conte as Juve aim to secure a third consecutive Scudetto.
"To me, Conte seems a bit nervous. But I have nothing to say on it," Garcia told Sky Sport Italia.
Juve are heavy title favourites and victory at Sassuolo will put Conte's men in position to win Serie A with a home win over Atalanta next Monday or if Roma slip up at Catania the day before.
But, although Garcia accepts Roma are outsiders, the Frenchman is staying positive over their prospects.
"We'll see what happens [between Juve and Sassuolo]," he added. "We just have to concentrate on beating Catania – but our fate is not in our hands.
"At the moment though, everything seems to be going well for us."
Conte takes swipe at Garcia after Juventus close in on title
By Harry West
Apr 28, 2014 11:11:00 PM
The Bianconeri boss says the Frenchman "took a step backwards" with his recent comments and claims the Giallorossi's form this season has been overhyped
Antonio Conte hit out at Roma boss Rudi Garcia after Juventus moved to the brink of clinching the Serie A title with a 3-1 win at Sassuolo.
In pouring rain at the Citta del Tricolore on Monday, Conte watched on as his side fell behind to Simone Zaza's ninth-minute opener.
Carlos Tevez levelled the match 10 minutes prior to the interval, before second-half goals from Claudio Marchisio and Fernando Llorente sealed the victory.
The result leaves Juve eight points clear of Roma with three matches remaining, and Juve will clinch the title with a win at home to Atalanta next Monday, or if Roma fail to win at Catania on Sunday.
Conte, who slid on his knees in celebration when Llorente scored 14 minutes from the end, feels his side have not been given enough credit for their achievements this season and claimed Roma's form has been greatly overhyped.
"I hear people say Roma are doing something stratospheric," he told Sky Sport Italia.
"I say we are eight points ahead of Roma and playing in the Europa League semi-final. If Roma are stratospheric then I cannot find an adjective to describe Juventus.
"Anything Juventus do becomes almost expected. If we win the Europa League, it'll be considered a worthless trophy. If we lose, then people will say Juve aren't ready for Europe. When we achieve something, people act as if it's normal.
"I think those behind us are irritable, not us. They should be careful with what they say, as Roma and Garcia took a step backwards by feeding into the culture of suspicion with talk of 'help' and opponents not giving their all.
"If this is football culture, then it's a step backwards."
When quizzed about his exuberant celebration in the second half, Conte explained it was an action born out of passion.
"What was going through my mind was that we were making a very important step towards a historic Scudetto, as it'd be the third in a row," he said.
"I always had a certain attitude, right from when I was at Arezzo. I was always passionate and enthusiastic as a player and continue that way as a coach.
"I live my profession with great enthusiasm and participation, which I think the players appreciate, as I am there fighting with them on the field, in good times and bad."
Garcia suggested earlier on Monday that Conte was feeling the strain of his side's title push as a was of words between the two coaches continues to build.
