Roberto Mancini's men clinched the Scudetto last weekend with a 2-1 win at Siena and they followed up that result with another solid display against a team whose Champions League hopes are fading fast.

Julio Cruz opened the scoring for the Nerazzurri and even though Luca Saudati equalised 12 minutes into the second half, Alvaro Recoba quickly restored the home side's advantage.

Dejan Stankovic made it 3-1 a minute later as Inter edged closer to breaking Juventus' all-time Serie A points record of 91. Inter currently have 87 with four games to go.

Empoli dropped to seventh place, eight points behind the Champions League places.

Second-placed Roma were held to a goalless draw in a forgettable city derby against Lazio.

The Biancoceleste remain fourth after being passed by AC Milan on Saturday, the Rossoneri wining 1-0 at Torino thanks to Clarence Seedorf's first-half goal.

Palermo's hopes of a top four finish are back on track thanks to a 2-1 win at Livorno.

Eugenio Corini gave the Sicilians the lead from the penalty spot at the start of the second half only for Cesar to equalise with a spot-kick of his own 10 minutes later.

David Di Michele grabbed the winner with 15 minutes to go.

Sampdoria won 2-0 at Siena with goals from Christian Maggio and Gennaro Delvecchio.

The title race may have been sewn up last weekend, but the fight to avoid relegation continues to rumble on.

Parma are the form side towards the lower reaches and the upturn in fortunes under Claudio Ranieri continued on Sunday as the Gialloblu won 2-1 against Cagliari.

Ranieri's men are three points clear of the drop zone thanks to Andrea Gasbarroni's 74th-minute penalty winner.

Earlier, Igor Budan had put the home side ahead only for Daniele Conti to equalise 19 minutes into the second half.

Catania did their hopes of avoiding the drop the power of good after a 1-0 win at eight-man Udinese in a bad-tempered encounter at the Stadio Friuli.

Gionatha Spinesi scored the decisive goal with a highly-controversial penalty shortly after the break to hand the visitors their first win in 13 Serie A games and lift them four points clear of the drop zone.

Catania's task was made a whole lot easier by the home side's indiscipline, Marco Motta, Antonio Di Natale and Andrea Dossena all seeing red in a fiery second half as Udinese players struggled to contain their anger at the penalty decision.

Second-bottom Messina remain deep in trouble after a goalless draw at home to Atalanta while basement club Ascoli are all but gone.

The Sicilians are 13 points adrift of safety after going down 3-2 at home to fellow strugglers Reggina.

After Michele Fini opened the scoring for the hosts, two goals from Nicola Amoruso and one from Pasquale Foggia put the visitors from Reggio Calabria in charge. Substitute Massimo Bonanni pulled one back late on for Ascoli.

A dramatic final five minutes saw Reggina's Rolando Bianchi miss a penalty before Ascoli substitute Michelangelo Minieri was dismissed for a second bookable offence.