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Rome. The weather has been playing havoc with football fixtures in Italy all week but Serie A leaders Juventus have survived the big freeze and managed to cement their grip on the standings, without even playing.

Juve’s game at Parma was called off leaving them an anxious 24-hour wait to see if they would lose the league leadership.

But AC Milan crashed 2-0 at Lazio meaning Juve held on to top spot ahead of the visit of Siena this weekend.

“The midweek games provided a table that still makes us smile,” Juve captain Alessandro Del Piero said.

“With a one-point advantage [over Milan] and a game in hand we have to take advantage of the opportunity to escape, even though it’s still too soon to stop and look at the table.”

There is still almost half the season to go but there’s a feeling that things are falling into Juve’s lap.

However, with temperatures of up to minus 10 Celsius expected in the north this weekend, the weather promises to have yet more of a say.

Already three scheduled evening games have had to be brought forward to the afternoon to give them a better chance of going ahead.

What this has done is reopen a raging debate in Italy about the state of stadia in the country.

Juve are the only club to own their custom-built stadium while everyone else rents theirs from the local council.

Those other stadiums are mostly old and out-dated with poor facilities and no contingency plans for icy conditions.

When games are called off in Italy it is rarely because the pitch is frozen but because the areas around the ground used by fans are deemed too dangerous.

And while Turin is one of the worst affected areas in the country, the Juventus Stadium has held up well to the snow.

“We’re first in the table but we’re already concentrating on the next match on Sunday against Siena at the Juventus Stadium,” added Del Piero.

“Last Saturday we gave a great demonstration of efficiency (in dealing with the weather conditions), so thanks to the people who worked hard to allow us to play and the fans to enjoy a great spectacle.”

The efficient stadium is indicative of a well-oiled Juve machine that remains unbeaten this season and has proved beyond doubt now that they are capable of putting successive, miserable, seventh-placed finishes behind them and challenging for the title.

And if anything, their rivals seem to be facilitating affairs.

Lazio had previously slipped away by losing at Inter Milan, who were on a seven-game winning run until the last week where one point from six has dropped them eight points behind Juve having played a game more.

But Lazio then threw a spanner in Milan’s works, leaving their coach Massimiliano Allegri insisting that Juve and not the champions are now the title favourites.

They also face a much tougher weekend game as they host Napoli, themselves beset by problems an inconsistency.

Napoli have been highly impressive when playing supposed big teams, beating both Milans and Manchester City.

But their continued inability to put lesser teams to the sword -- they have drawn nine games in the league -- has seen them fall right out of title and probably Champions League contention.

However, it would be no surprise if the giant-killing Napoli turn up on Sunday.

Roma meanwhile host Inter in a clash that could prove crucial to the European places. Fourth-placed Lazio travel to Genoa and third-placed Udinese will be at Fiorentina.

Fixtures (1400 GMT unless stated)

Saturday

Cesena v Catania, Roma v Inter Milan

Sunday

Genoa v Lazio (1130 GMT), Chievo v Parma, Fiorentina v Udinese, Juventus v Siena, Lecce v Bologna, Novara v Cagliari, Palermo v Atalanta, AC Milan v Napoli

Italian Serie A table ahead of this weekend's matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):Juventus 20 12 8 0 33 13 44AC Milan 21 13 4 4 43 19 43Udinese 21 12 5 4 31 17 41Lazio 21 11 6 4 32 19 39Inter Milan 21 11 3 7 34 25 36Roma 20 9 4 7 31 25 31Napoli 21 7 9 5 36 24 30Palermo 21 8 4 9 30 31 28Genoa 20 8 3 9 28 36 27Cagliari 21 6 8 7 20 23 26Fiorentina 20 6 7 7 20 17 25Parma 20 6 6 8 25 33 24Chievo 20 6 6 8 16 25 24Atalanta 20 7 8 5 24 25 23Catania 19 5 8 6 22 28 23Bologna 20 5 6 9 18 26 21Siena 20 4 7 9 21 22 19Lecce 21 4 4 13 22 38 16Cesena 21 4 4 13 13 31 16Novara 20 2 6 12 18 40 12Note: Atalanta deducted six points at start of season for match-fixing
Agence France-Presse