PREVIEW: AC Milan stretch lead as top teams dither

Serie A leaders AC Milan managed to escape more serious damage in a mid-week round in which they and their chasers showed signs of tiredness and lack of grit.

   After drawing 0-0 with visiting Lazio on Tuesday, the Devils were pleased to see second-place Napoli crash 2-0 at Chievo the following day and Roma also dither in a 1-1 home draw with strugglers Brescia.

   Milan have now a five-point lead on Napoli, with Lazio and Roma trailing in third and fourth place.

   Champions Inter Milan, however, have a chance to reduce their 10-point gap when they play at bottom side Bari late Thursday.

   The Nerazzurri then face a classic home game with Roma late Sunday and also have a game in hand at Fiorentina to be played on February 16.

   The Devils' coach Massimiliano Allegri tried to hide his disappointment with the draw, the third in the past five games.

   "I am not worried at all because what matters is the game," Allegri said. "We deserved to win. There was some confusion, but we had a lot of (good) occasions, even though our midfielders had never played together."

   As Brazilian Pato showed poor form and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic only shook the woodwork and fired a couple of shots high, the injury-plagued midfield has been Allegri's main worry lately.

   He should have Gennaro Gattuso and Dutch veteran Clarence Seedorf back against Genoa on Sunday, while it will take longer for international Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

   Second-place Napoli had even more to complain about after a 2-0 defeat at Chievo dropped them five points behind Milan.

   A home game to promoted minnows Cesena should allow Napoli to resume their chase.

   Lazio stuck to third place as they await in-form Chievo, while Palermo visit Lecce after a 2-1 defeat of Juventus and Udinese tackle Sampdoria on Saturday.

   The Juventus crisis grew worse in Palermo, where a fourth defeat in six games saw them slip into eighth place.

   The Turin side lost two positions in the past two games and have currently no chance to qualify for a European tournament.

   Further problems for the Turin side could come late Saturday from a visit to Cagliari, who won 1-0 at Sampdoria to move three points behind the Bianconeri.

   Parma and Fiorentina need points to steer clear of the danger zone, which also worries Bologna and Catania, while struggling Brescia and Bari open the Sunday schedule with a noon game.