Juventus opened up a fourpoint lead at the top of Italy's Serie A yesterday as their 3-1 home win over AS Roma took full advantage of Inter Milan's surprise 1-0 home defeat to 10-man Bologna.
France's Zinedine Zidane and Italian Alessandro Del Piero scored goals on either side of halftime to put the reigning champions 2-0 up before Roma's Paolo Sergio narrowed the gap.
The ill-tempered match finally swung Juventus's way in the 64th minute with defender Fabio Petruzzi's dismissal for a foul on Del Piero. From the resultant free kick, Dutchman Edgar Davids fired home a 25-metre shot.
Second-placed Inter were outplayed by a Bologna side that was twice denied by the woodwork before Roberto Baggio set up Michele Paramatti for a 52nd minute winner. Real Madrid missed a golden opportunity to go top of the Spanish first division last night when Brazilian Savio Bortolini blasted an injury-time penalty high and wide in the 2-2 draw at Deportivo.
Real twice trailed but fought back to equalise 12 minutes from the end but the draw keeps them a point behind leaders Barcelona, who drew 1-1 at Tenerife.
