Juventus went provisionally top of Serie A on Saturday thanks to a 2-1 home win over Cagliari after AC Milan let slip a two-goal lead and were relieved to cling on for a draw at Lecce.
𝗙𝗧@juventusfcen secure all three points at home ✅🔒#JuveCagliari pic.twitter.com/kTGJFqjv9g
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) November 11, 2023
This was a fifth straight win for Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus who top Serie A on 29 points with their early season title rivals Inter Milan, on 28, playing Frosinone on Sunday.
Juventus play Inter in Turin in late November in what should be an old school blockbuster between the traditional rivals.
"Inter are favourites to win the Scudetto, but in a one-off game anything can happen," said a smiling Allegri. "We are aiming to finish in the top four."
Juve's powerfully built central defender Gleison Bremer was unmarked in the middle of the box when he headed home on the hour to break the deadlock.
Another defensive player Daniele Rugani forced home in equally simple fashion from a corner on 70 minutes to make it 2-0.
Alberto Dossena pulled one back with a bullet header on 75 minutes to break a run of seven clean sheets for Juventus, who then managed to see out the game.
Earlier, Milan blew a two-goal lead at Lecce but sighed in collective relief as a last-gasp wonder goal for the hosts was disallowed in a 2-2 draw.
𝗙𝗧
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) November 11, 2023
It ends all square thanks to a quick comeback by Mister D'Aversa's men midway through the second half 🤝#LecceMilan pic.twitter.com/rh3yY0NYZA
In a dramatic late incident Lecce forward Roberto Piccoli controlled a long-distance clearance from his goalkeeper, turned and shot past Mike Maignan to send the home fans into raptures.
The goal was however disallowed because Piccoli had trodden on a rival's foot in the build-up.
'RUIN THIS SPORT'
Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani did not hide his discontent with the late VAR decision.
"It allows them to ruin a fairy tale and ruin this sport," he said.
Despite salvaging a point Milan lost the influential Rafael Leao to injury and had goalscorer Olivier Giroud sent off.
Giroud opened the scoring on 28 minutes before Tijjani Reijnders doubled the lead, just four days after Milan's crucial Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.
Down in 14th place in Serie A, Lecce looked out of it but came out in the second half with great intent, pulling a goal back at a corner through Nicola Sansone on 66 minutes before Zambian Lameck Banda levelled not long after.
Milan coach Stefano Pioli lamented the fact that his players had failed to learn their lesson.
"We conceded a goal on a corner that was identical to the one scored by PSG, so we keep making the same very costly errors," he said.
"We got too stretched out, too frenetic and did not win a game that we should have won."
Milan had much to lament, despite the let-off, with Giroud set to serve a suspension after his red card for dissent as the club's winless run in Serie A stretched to four matches.
Currently third in the league, AC Milan are under threat on Sunday from champions Napoli who have the chance to leapfrog them.
In Saturday's late game Monza and Torino drew 1-1. Ivan Ilic scored on 55 minutes for the away side before Monza's Andrea Colpani celebrated his first Italy call-up with the equaliser.