Rome: All of a sudden, it's anyone's guess who will win the Italian league. Two weeks ago, AC Milan appeared to be cruising toward their second consecutive title with a four-point lead over Juventus. Now, the Turin club is one point in front with seven rounds remaining — and holds the tiebreaker with a win and a draw head-to-head.
"Everything depends on us now," said Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who transferred from Milan to Juventus in the offseason. "A one-point lead at this point of the season means a lot. But we're taking it match by match, because a false step can occur at any moment. The percentages remain 50-50."
But if recent form is any indication, Juventus hold the edge.
Juventus have outscored opponents 12-0 in their last four matches — all victories — and have a 36-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, with their last loss coming against Parma at the end of last season.
Juventus have not won Serie A since having the 2005 and 2006 titles stripped for their role in the 2006 match-fixing scandal. The last title they still hold came in 2003, when Marcello Lippi was in charge.
Milan slumped to a 1-1 draw with Catania and a 2-1 loss at home to Fiorentina in their last two league matches, and split those with a defeat to Barcelona that eliminated them from the Champions League quarter-finals.
"We're paying for our efforts against Barcelona," Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said. "We've led for two years and what happened to us against Fiorentina could happen to Juventus from here until the end of the season."
Actually, Milan last trailed just a couple months ago, but then took the lead in mid-February when Juve's match with Bologna was postponed due to a snowstorm.
This time, the lead change came courtesy of a last-minute defensive lapse by Milan, which allowed Fiorentina striker Amauri to score his first goal since transferring from Juventus in January.
Amauri could end up being an unlikely hero for Juventus, who spurned him and didn't even allow him to train with the first team during his final months with the team.
Amauri's goal has also set off speculation that Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri could be at risk of losing his job, one season after ending rival Inter Milan's run of five straight titles.
"Reading the newspapers it almost seems like we're in the relegation zone," Galliani said. "But nothing has been lost ... There's no sense of moderation. Don't believe what you read, Max is absolutely staying."
Both Milan and Juventus face tough tests in midweek fixtures.
Milan visit an in-form Chievo Verona side Tuesday and Juventus host third-place Lazio on Wednesday.
While Juventus are relatively healthy, Milan are desperately hoping that Mark van Bommel and Clarence Seedorf return from minor injuries with Massimo Ambrosini, Alberto Aquilani and Daniele Bonera all suspended.
Ninth-placed Chievo are hoping to make relegation a mathematical impossibility, while Lazio want to hold on to third place, which carries the league's final Champions League berth.
Lazio have 54 points, Udinese is next with 51, followed by Napoli (48), Roma (47) and Inter (45).
Udinese visit Roma on Wednesday, Napoli host Atalanta and Inter face Siena.
Also Wednesday, it's: Catania vs. Lecce; Fiorentina vs. Palermo; Genoa vs. Cesena and Parma vs. Novara.
In Thursday's only match, Bologna hosts Cagliari.
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