Juventus have re-opened the Scudetto race by beating Inter 2-1 with Claudio Marchisio, a still unidentified scorer and Felipe Melo's dismissal.

The Derby d'Italia was also a crunch match for the title race, a chance for Juve to revive their hopes after poor form and for the Nerazzurri to extend their eight-point lead at the top of the table. Mauro Camoranesi was benched in favour of Claudio Marchisio in a diamond midfield, while Douglas Maicon was suspended with Wesley Sneijder and Ricardo Quaresma injured.

Mario Balotelli was benched amid fears he would receive racist insults from the Juve supporters. An hour before kick-off there were insulting chants, but not with a racist tinge, despite all the appeals from the club and Gaetano Scirea's widow to avoid cruel jibes.

Inter's last Serie A win here was in April 2005 and the last two editions ended 1-1. Giorgio Chiellini played with a protective mask just days after fracturing his nose for the fourth time.

Juve had the first chance after five minutes when Amauri chested it down for Momo Sissoko, whose volley was disturbed by Sulley Muntari. Soon after a cutback was meant for Marchisio, but Sissoko clattered into him and neither player got a clean shot in.

Diego Milito went on the counter and nutmegged Fabio Cannavaro to get the pass through for Dejan Stankovic, but Martin Caceres came sliding in for a crucial block. From the corner Walter Samuel had penalty appeals for a Cannavaro shirt-tug.

Samuel Eto'o was inches offside as he ran on to Milito's through ball clear on goal.

Juventus took the lead with a chaotic goal. Samuel gave away a free kick that Diego curled into the box, but while Julio Cesar was lined up to save a Del Piero volley, Felipe Melo got there first and the deflection off the captain's shin left the goalkeeper flat-footed. The ball was clearly deflected, as it bobbled slowly over the line, but exactly who got the last touch isn't entirely clear, as Lucio and Chiellini may also have made contact. The Lega Calcio has credited Felipe Melo with the goal.

Jose Mourinho complained to the referee about the decision to award the free kick in the first place, so the official sent him off. The tension spilled over again as Muntari went through the back of Caceres, the defender refused to accept his apology and the Inter midfielder pulled his hair, sparking a scuffle. Muntari was booked.

The cards were flying thick and fast for Felipe Melo and from that Esteban Cambiasso free kick Gigi Buffon batted a diving Samuel header out of the top corner.

Inter equalised moments later, as the Juventus defence was caught out of position for a long cross to the back post, as Eto'o had a totally free header from six yards. It was a series of errors, as Cambiasso took the free kick quickly, Stankovic was unmarked to put in the cross and Eto'o abandoned in the six-yard box.

Samuel also went into the book for a crunching tackle from behind on Del Piero. Chiellini's sliding tackle in the area cut off Stankovic on a dangerous counter, while at the other end an acrobatic Del Piero half-volley at full stretch tested Julio Cesar at the near post.

Muntari risked a second yellow card for tripping Diego near the centre-circle. Cristian Chivu crucially intercepted an Amauri cross for Del Piero and from the corner Chiellini complained he had been bundled over by Samuel.

After the restart Diego's snapshot took a deflection, but Julio Cesar was still equal to it. There was chaos in the Juventus box, as Stankovic's shot was charged down and two Bianconeri defenders collided, but somehow managed to clear their lines.

On the counter from that same move, Juve took the lead! Julio Cesar beat away a Sissoko daisy-cutter into the path of Marchisio, who intelligently controlled to commit Samuel with his left, then right, and chipped the on-rushing goalkeeper with the inside of his left foot.

Balotelli replaced Muntari to a chorus of jeers and Fabio Grosso was booked for barging into Eto'o. Julio Cesar spilled a Diego strike from distance, but was able to get it under control.

An Inter corner risked flying straight in at the near post, but Marchisio acrobatically cleared. Buffon didn't quite get a strong touch to a free kick, but confirmed to the referee that it was an Inter throw-in rather than Juve's ball.

Samuel was fortunate to avoid a second booking for a blatant push on Del Piero. The Juventus captain made way for Mauro Camoranesi.

Caceres dispossessed Milito in the box with the Inter striker claiming he was fouled and replays suggest it was Milito who trod on the defender's foot.

Amantino Mancini replaced Cambiasso for a 4-2-3-1, as Inter were desperately chasing the game. Amauri earned a card for a clumsy tackle and Christian Poulsen came on for scorer Marchisio.

The Olimpico erupted into a round of applause and laughter when Balotelli slipped to balloon a free kick into the stands. Caceres very smartly shepherded Mancini out for a goal kick.

The tension exploded five minutes from time when Balotelli shoved Melo in the back and the Brazilian swung out an elbow to shake him off, but it hit him in the chest and absolutely not in the face. There was then a coming together between Chivu and Sissoko, while Thiago Motta said something to Buffon and it took three men to drag the furious goalkeeper away. At the end of it all, Melo received a second yellow card and was sent off.

Marco Materazzi was the final substitute for Inter, while 10-man Juve introduced Zdenek Grygera for Diego for the four minutes of stoppages. Materazzi clashed heads with Chiellini, adding even more time to the match.