MILAN: Paul Pogba showed why the top European teams are interested in him as he orchestrated a 2-0 win for Juventus against Chievo Verona, sending the defending champions provisionally eight points clear at the top of Serie A on Sunday.

Pogba scored a stunning opener on the hour mark and was instrumental in his team’s second, netted by Stephan Lichtsteiner as Juve moved to 49 points from 20 matches ahead of second-placed AS Roma’s visit of Fiorentina.

Meanwhile, there will be further debate about goal-line technology after Palermo had a goal ruled out in a 1-1 draw at Sampdoria, with the home side’s new signing Samuel Eto’o in attendance.

Eder gave Sampdoria a sixth minute lead with a breakaway goal and Franco Vazquez fired home a spectacular equaliser for seventh-placed Palermo early in the second half, before the game erupted in controversy.

Michel Morganella’s shot for Palermo hit the underside of the bar but, although replays showed it had crossed the line, no goal was given.

Sampdoria moved level with third-placed Lazio on 34 points, a point ahead of Napoli who face Genoa on Monnday.

Lazio lead Sampdoria on goal difference after Marco Parolo scored a brace either side of Miroslav Klose’s fourth goal of the season for a bad-tempered 3-1 win over AC Milan on Saturday.

Jeremy Menez put Milan ahead four minutes in at the Stadio Olimpico but Lazio stormed back in the second half with Parolo volleying in the equaliser and Klose pouncing on a mistake to score the second.

Parolo added his second of the game nine minutes from the end with the game ending in ugly scenes as Milan defender Philippe Mexes saw a straight red for grabbing Lazio captain Stefano Mauri by the throat after a number of altercations between the pair.

Elsewhere on Sunday, a stoppage-time goal gave Torino a 1-0 win at Inter Milan, who booed off by their own fans and are languishing in joint ninth along with their city rivals, eight points off Lazio and Sampdoria.

A late strike also saw Cesena beat Parma 2-1 in a relegation battle while former Argentina forward Javier Saviola scored his first goal for Hellas Verona in a 1-0 win over Atalanta.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2015

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