The Italian season resumed after the Christmas break this weekend and those hungry for goals were not disappointed. 

The tone was set on Saturday, with Siena cushing Lazio 4-0 in the Artemio Franchi, followed by a 5-0 win for Inter Milan against Parma in the San Siro. Diego Milito scored a brace, Giampaolo Pazzini and Thiago Motta both scored before Maicon sealed the rout ten minutes from time. The win moved the Nerazzurri into fifth place in Serie A and they are beginning to look like a side that could challenge the Champions League places this season. They are now 12/1 at bet365 to win the Scudetto and 7/4 for a top three finish.

There were, however, no real gains by Inter as the top three - AC Milan, Juventus and Udinese - all won. Milan beat Atalanta 2-0 in Bergamo thanks to a Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty and a Kevin Prince Boateng goal, Juventus won 1-0 away to Lecce courtesty of Alessandro Matri, and Udinese scored an impressive 4-1 win over Cesena in which Antonio Di Natale netted twice. Milan remain the 5/6 favourites to win the title, with Juventus 13/8. Udinese can be backed at 16/1.

The result of the weekend was in Sicily where Napoli beat Palermo 3-1. The Azzurri, who will face Chelsea in the Champions League last 16, were three goals up after an hour thanks to Goran Pandev, Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik which meant that Fabrizio Miccoli's 89th minute goal for the hosts was no more than a consolation. Napoli are still ten points behind leaders AC Milan and Juventus but they will have taken great heart from their win over a Palermo side who had won six times and lost just once at home prior to Sunday's game. It is 4/1 that Walter Mazzarri's side finish in the top three this season and they are certainly lively outsiders.

At the bottom of the table there was a 2-0 win for Bologna over Catania, which moved the Rossoblu six points clear of the relegation zone. Novara were beaten 3-0 at home by Fiorentina and their survival hopes are now looking bleak. It is now just 2/5 at betfair that they make an immediate return to Serie B this season.