AC Milan back on track

AC Milan bounced back from their Champions League setback with a 2-0 victory at Sampdoria.

The Rossoneri, who were beaten 1-0 at home by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Tuesday, took a 12th-minute lead against Samp through Adel Taarabt.

Adil Rami made it 2-0 before the hour mark.

The hosts shot themselves in the foot when former AC Milan striker Maxi Lopez was sent off 18 minutes from time for a second yellow card, both bookings for dissent.

Lopez had only come into the match in the 56th minute.

The win is Milan's second straight in the league and has lifted the Rossoneri to ninth place, five points behind city rivals Inter Milan, who are fifth.

Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale's second-half equaliser denied Atalanta their first win on the road since October 5 as they shared the points in a 1-1 draw.

The Bergamaschi looked to be heading for a long overdue win when Davide Brivio gave them a 24th-minute lead at the Friuli stadium.

However, Di Natale earned and converted a penalty 19 minutes from time to earn his side a share of the spoils.

Inter Milan and Cagliari shared the points in an entertaining 1-1 draw at San Siro.

Mauricio Pinilla's penalty gave Cagliari a half-time lead but Inter equalised early in the second period, defender Rolando credited with the goal.

Chievo halted a 10-match winless run with a 2-0 triumph over Catania.

Cyril Thereau converted from the penalty spot in the 37th minute to put the hosts on their way.

Luca Rigoni secured all three points by scoring his team's second in the 68th minute.

A second-half fightback from relegation-battling Livorno fell short as Hellas Verona hung on for a 3-2 win in Tuscany.

Three goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half from Bosko Jakovic, Romulo and Luca Toni put the visitors firmly in control, 3-0 up at half-time, but Livorno made a fight of it as Paulo Betanin and Leandro Greco scored two in the space of two minutes with less than 20 minutes to go.

The win keeps Verona firmly in the hunt for European football, but does nothing to help Livorno's bid to get out of trouble at the wrong end of the standings.

On Saturday, Roma clung on tight to a slender lead at relegation-threatened Bologna to edge a 1-0 victory.

Radja Nainggolan scored his first goal for the Giallorossi since moving from Cagliari in January, but Roma failed to put struggling Bologna to the sword and ended up retreating to resist a late backlash.