Juventus have received two important boosts ahead of their tricky trip to Chievo on Sunday as they bid to salvage their dismal season.
Last week Juve crashed 3-0 at home to AC Milan to slip 12 points behind leaders Inter Milan.
The defeat, a sixth in eight games in all competitions during which time they also slumped out of the Champions League, also left Juventus embroiled in a tense race for a place in Europe's top competition next season.
Napoli in fourth are level on points with them, AS Roma are one point behind and both Palermo and Fiorentina, who have a game in hand, are within one victory of the Turin giants.
On Wednesday, Juventus earned a confidence boost in beating Napoli 3-0 in the Coppa Italia while Italy's number one goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has declared himself fit for Sunday's trip.
But while that may seem like a double boost, the truth is that Buffon only missed four matches and was between the sticks during most of Juve's troubles.
Little should be read into the defeat of Napoli either as the southerners rested all their top players, and unlike Juve they don't have a huge squad with a bench full of international players.
Even so, Juve coach Ciro Ferrara has been happy to see a little of the pressure on his position ease.
"It was a very, very important match for all of us, for me but for everyone else as well," he said after that victory.
"We played with humility and determination, we deserved to win.
"Lots has gone wrong recently but we absolutely must buy someone. Many players have gone away and we have some injuries."
However, Buffon was more reserved in his assessment of Juve's position.
"The win over Napoli in the Cup served to restore our morale but we all know that's not enough to bring some consistency to our results," he warned.
Ahead of Juve, Milan are eight points behind Inter, although they do have a game in hand and the Milan derby to come in a week's time.
Inter also face a tricky clash away to Bari on Saturday with the southerners having only lost once at home all season.
They also held Inter to a 1-1 draw at the San Siro on the opening day of the campaign and are in the mix for a top four finish, six points behind Juve and Napoli but with a game in hand.
Bari captain, the Belgian goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet vowed to give Jose Mourinho as many problems as they did earlier in the season.
"Against Inter in the worst case scenario we hope to repeat the result we previously got against them when we had the Italian champions on the ropes," he said.
Inter have problems as Samuel Eto'o is away on African Cup of Nations duty while the likes of Esteban Cambiasso and Dejan Stankovic are stuggling to be fit and Cristian Chivu is definitely out.
If Inter do slip up, Milan will be expecting to capitalise given they are playing at home to rock bottom Siena.
Alongside Napoli, Milan are probably the form team in Serie A and combative midfielder Gennaro Gattuso says a lot of that is down to rookie coach Leonardo.
"He's doing a great job with the group and manages to get himself understood in the dressing room," he said.
"It's not easy managing such a group with many star players but he's great at speaking to everyone individually and making them understand the needs of the team."
It won't be all plain-sailing for Milan, though, as last week Siena were two minutes away from escaping the San Siro with three points until two late Inter goals gave the champions a 4-3 win.
Fixtures
Saturday
Bari v Inter Milan, Cagliari v Livorno
Sunday
AC Milan v Siena, Atalanta v Lazio, Chievo v Juventus, Fiorentina v Bologna, Napoli v Palermo, Parma v Udinese, AS Roma v Genoa, Sampdoria v Catania
Copyright 2010  AFP Global Edition
