With six matches remaining in the season Inter now have a near-unassailable lead at the top of the table.

Luciano Spalletti will stay on as Juventus coach after signing a new two-year deal, the Serie A club announced on Friday.

Romelu Lukaku on Monday defended his decision to undergo treatment in his home country rather than at his club after pulling out of Belgium's World Cup warm-up matches in the United States.

Napoli are two points clear of third-placed AC Milan, who play at home against Torino on Saturday.

Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy's top flight this season.

For the second successive season, Serie A has one club remaining in the last 16 of the Champions League as Italian football struggles to compete in Europe's premier club competition and risks falling even further behind.

The win moves second-placed Milan five points behind Inter and four points clear of third-placed Napoli.

Inter had cranked up the pressure in the title race with a 6-2 comeback win against Pisa on Friday.

Germany forward Fullkrug, on loan from West Ham United, netted for the first time since April last year to push second-placed Milan past spirited Lecce and keep his new team three points behind Inter.

Martinez expertly poked home the winner in the 20th minute in Udine to continue Inter's nine-match unbeaten run in Italy's top flight ahead of Tuesday's key Champions League clash with Arsenal.

Milan are second in the standings on 43 points, three behind rivals Inter Milan.

The Scotland midfielder twice equalised to make sure that the reigning champions would stay four points behind Inter.

Inter will hold top spot until at least the weekend, when Cristian Chivu's team will host the champions in a Scudetto showdown at the San Siro.

Inter Milan returned to the top of Serie A after a 3-1 win over Bologna at the San Siro on Sunday.

Defending champions Napoli climbed to second in Serie A Sunday when a 2-0 win at Lazio left them lurking a point behind leaders AC Milan.

AC Milan moved top of the Serie A standings with a 1-0 win away to Cagliari on Friday where Rafael Leao's second-half goal earned the visitors all three points despite a far from impressive performance.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing for a big return to Atalanta on Saturday as his Roma team travel to Bergamo trying to stay in touch with Serie A's title chasers.

Inter hold top spot after a four-match winning run and on Sunday they host Bologna who put an end to their Italian Super Cup hopes this month with a semi-final win on penalties.

Hojlund took his all-competitions goal tally for Napoli to nine as the champions cruised to a 2-0 win at Cremonese and stayed two points behind Inter in third.

Christopher Nkunku fired AC Milan top of Serie A with a brace in Sunday's 3-0 win over Verona at the San Siro, the France forward's first goals in Italy's top flight.