Italian Serie A leaders Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw at Atalanta, while their arch-rivals AC Milan fell into a humbled 2-0 defeat at home by Palermo on Sunday.
Reigning champions Inter went ahead on 15 minutes when Argentina striker Diego Milito, one of three forwards in another attacking formation, skipped two tackles and scuffed the ball home.
AC Milan's Pato (R) reacts after missing a goal scoring opportunity against Palermo in their Italian Serie A soccer match at San Siro stadium in Milan, December 13, 2009
Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder hit the bar with a free kick but was dismissed for a second booking after the break.
Simone Tiribocchi expertly equalized for struggling Atalanta nine minutes from time after Lucio failed to stop a through ball.
Second-placed Milan meekly ended a run of five straight league wins and slipped five points behind Inter when Fabrizio Miccoli scored one goal and helped set up Mark Bresciano for the second in Palermo's victory.
Inter Milan's Diego Milito (R) celebrates with his team mate Samuel Eto'o after scoring against Atalanta during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo December 13, 2009
Forward Miccoli cut inside and arrowed in an unstoppable drive early in the second half before producing great skill on the flank to allow Australian Bresciano to slam the ball into the net. Nicola Amoruso missed a penalty but redeemed himself with an 86th-minute winner as fourth-placed Parma came back to win 2-1 at home to Bologna and move two points behind third-placed Juventus, who lost 3-1 at Bari on Saturday.
Inter were the only Serie A side who played in the Champions League in midweek to pick up a point with Fiorentina going down 2-1 at Chievo to slip four adrift of Parma.
Sampdoria or AS Roma, two of nine teams within a point of each other, can grab fifth spot outright when they meet later.
Genoa are another of the sides in the bunch after losing 1-0 at Lazio, who recorded only their third league win of the campaign thanks to wingback Aleksandar Kolarov's classy goal.
Catania dropped to bottom in Sinisa Mihajlovic's first game in charge after a 1-0 home defeat by Livorno and Siena clinched a 2-1victory over Udinese, their second win in a row.