Juventus and Inter Milan draw in top-billing game

 Title holders Inter remain in the lead on 25 points from 11 games, with Juve lying fourth on 21, one point behind Roma, and Fiorentina sitting second on 23 points.

 Pride bordered revenge in a classic match pitting Juve against the team who was awarded the 2006 scudetto in a sports trial that found them guilty of match-fixing.

 Juve, who also had the 2005 title stripped, are back in the top flight after a season in which they were sentenced to play in the Serie B and look to return to the high levels that have marked their history.

 "We waited for a long time for this game," said Juve's young forward Raffaele Palladino. "It is one of those games for which I am proud to be at Juve.

 "It was a great emotion and it was good to play with our heart as our coach (Claudio Ranieri) asked us to do."

   Juve pulled no punches before the home crowd and held the game steadily in their hands through most of the first half, coming close, however, in only two occasions with Cristiano Zanetti and Alessandro Del Piero.

 The midfielder pounced on a loose ball in the area, but saw the defenders block his shot, while Del Piero on 24 minutes had a nasty free kick deflected wide by goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

 Czech veteran Pavel Nedved appeared fully charged after a two-game suspension, but missed grossly from the distance in three occasions as Juve dominated in midfield.

 Inter and their flagbearing striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic seemed unable to find room for any manoeuvre at least until the 41st minute, when Brazilian Cesar set up Julio Cruz for a spurt in the area and a flawless flick past Gianluigi Buffon.

 Two minutes later, Juve ran a major risk as a poor clearance from Nicola Legrottaglie brought Ibra face to face with Buffon, but was hampered by the return of Chiellini.

 The energies spent in the first half slowed down Juve's pace after the break allowing Inter to threaten with Ibra and twice with substitute David Suazo.

 Buffon was always ready to save, while his Brazilian counterpart found no luck when he was beaten on 77 minutes as a drive from the just-fielded Mauro Camoranesi was deflected by Walter Samuel.

 The goal marked the comeback for international Camoranesi, who spent the past two months recovering from a serious injury.

DPA