A Napoli supporter was stabbed yesterday as he approached Rome's Olympic Stadium for the Italian Serie A match with home side Lazio. Following the game - won 2-1 by Napoli - there were pitched battles just outside the stadium between Lazio fans and riot police as home supporters tried to reach the section of the ground where the Napoli fans were preparing to leave.

AS Roma won 2-0 at third-placed Atalanta Bergamo and capitalised on a series of upsets across the country to move eight points clear at the top. Parma crashed 20 at home to bottom club Reggina, who had lost nine of their previous 12 matches, while AC Milan squandered a chance to go third when they were held 2-2 by midtable Inter in the Milan derby.

Sixth-placed Udinese lost 3-1 at Perugia and with Juventus and Fiorentina sharing a 3-3 draw in Turin on Saturday night, Roma were the only side in the top eight to win.

Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-1 for their seventh straight win in the Spanish league and kept the pressure on leaders Valencia, who sneaked a 1-0 home win over Racing Santander.

A goal from Norwegian striker John Carew a minute before halftime was enough to help Valencia brush off their shock Cup defeat at third division Guadix on Wednesday and keep them at the top of the table on goal difference.

Real's win at Alaves was helped by the sending-off of Ibon Begona on 53 minutes, when the scores were level at 1-1 following goals for Raul and Oscar Tellez.

An own-goal from Antonio Karmona a minute later put the European champions ahead and Guti wrapped up victory with a neat finish from a Pedro Munitis pass with a minute to go.

Valencia lead the standings with 35 points from 17 games, with Real well placed in second on the same number of points and with a game in hand.

The two teams now have some daylight between them and the chasing pack thanks to a 3-1 defeat for Deportivo Coruna at Valladolid.