Inter Milan closed in on the Serie A title despite being held to a 2-2 draw at lowly Chievo on Sunday after rivals AC Milan failed to take advantage with a 1-1 stalemate against Juventus.
Inter, who lead by seven points with three matches left, could have wrapped up the title this weekend had they won and Milan lost but now they can do so next weekend if either they beat Siena at home or Milan lose away to Udinese.
Coach Jose Mourinho, though, was still confident enough about his team's scudetto chances to predict they will seal it next weekend.
"Our destiny is in our own hands and that's something extremely positive," he said.
"Almost always what I say happens: who knows if what I predict will happen or not but we'll win the scudetto at home to Siena."
Inter got off to a flying start as former Argentina international Hernan Crespo made the most of a rare start - only his second in the league all season due to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's suspension.
After just three minutes Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino spilled a tame strike from Esteban Cambiasso, allowing Crespo to prod home the rebound.
The visitors threatened to run away with things as veteran Portuguese winger Luis Figo's shot deflected off Nicolas Frey and came back off the post after another Sorrentino mistake.
But on 27 minutes Chievo struck back in stunning fashion as Michele Marcolini lashed in a left-foot drive from 25 yards out and slightly left of centre. Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar could do nothing but stand and admire it.
Inter were back in front on 65 minutes through teenage forward Mario Balotelli with a goal even better than Marcolini's: a rocket of a volley from just inside the area.
That appeared to be that, but the hosts struck back as Andrea Mantovani sent a deep cross over from the left to Brazilian Luciano at the back post on 73 minutes.
Inter full-back Maxwell had been drawn into the middle and he could not get back across quickly enough to stop Luciano side-footing home across Julio Cesar from 15 yards.
At the San Siro, Milan dominated but Juve created the more clearcut chances in an entertaining end-to-end game.
Milan went ahead fortuitously when Filippo Inzaghi crossed for Massimo Ambrosini and his scuffed shot wrong-footed Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and ran into the path of Clarence Seedorf to tap home into the empty net.
The lead lasted only three minutes, though, as Juve equalised on the hour when Vincenzo Iaquinta held off Mathieu Flamini to convert Mauro Camoranesi's cross with a diving header from close range.
The result ended Milan's run of five straight victories and took Juve's spell without a win to six games.
Juve did at least put in an improved performance and under-fire boss Claudio Ranieri denied he was worried for his job.
"There are critics but I'm not worried about them because the important thing is who they are," he said. "I know I'm on the right track."
In the day's other matches, Fiorentina opened up a three-point lead over Genoa in the race for fourth place and Champions League football next season as they won 2-0 at Catania, while Genoa were held 1-1 at Atalanta.
At the bottom Torino stayed one point above the relegation zone after drawing 1-1 at home to Bologna, who are one place below them.
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