MILAN — Napoli's hopes of closing the gap on Juventus at the top of Serie A to two points were dashed Sunday following a subdued performance in a 0-0 home draw with Sampdoria. Fiorentina, shaping up as rival to Napoli in the chase for a Champions League spot, got back to winning ways with a 4-1 thrashing of dismal Inter Milan. Goals from Adem Ljajic and Stevan Jovetic ensured a comprehensive win for Fiorentina over Inter in front of an ecstatic home crowd. Fiorentina dominated the first half and it was only a fine display from keeper Samir Handanovic that kept the scoreline respectable. Fiorentina took the lead in the 13th minute after Jovetic flicked a cross by Manuel Pasqual to Ljajic who got in front of defender Juan Jesus to beat Handanovic with a diving header from close range. Jovetic then shrugged off the attentions of Andrea Ranocchia before curling in a fine shot from the left-hand side of the penalty area with the keeper rooted to the spot. The Montenegrin got his second, set up by a neat Alberto Aquilani back heel that left him free to hit a powerful right-foot shot past Handanovic and Ljajic made it four in the 65th minute. Antonio Cassano's late consolation aside, this was humiliating for Inter which faces the remainder of the season without injured striker Diego Milito. Madrid beats Rayo Real Madrid had little trouble hanging on to beat crosstown rival Rayo Vallecano 2-0 despite Sergio Ramos' early sending off, giving coach Jose Mourinho a victory in his 100th Spanish league game Sunday. Young striker Alvaro Morata put Madrid ahead in just the third minute. Ramos doubled the advantage with a header in the 12th, but the Spain defender then left the hosts with 10 men in the 18th after picking up two bookings in a two-minute span. Madrid's win kept it in third place, four points behind Atletico Madrid after it won 3-0 at Valladolid. Barcelona leads Atletico by 12 points at the top of the table with the league almost two-thirds through. Also Sunday, Valencia scored twice after going down to 10 men to beat struggling Mallorca 2-0 at home. Its win lifted it into fifth place. Real Sociedad was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Levante and Espanyol got its fifth straight home win under new coach Javier Aguirre by downing Real Betis 1-0. PSG's unbeaten run ends Paris St Germain's Ligue 1 lead was trimmed to three points as it slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Sochaux that ended a nine-match unbeaten league run Sunday. PSG had won 12 of its last 13 matches in all competitions — eight of its last nine league games - but it lacked inspiration throughout and missed the injured Jeremy Menez. In other matches,second-placed Olympique Lyon hammered Girondins Bordeaux 4-0. St Etienne's hopes of securing a Champions League playoff spot took a knock as Les Verts, fifth on 41 points, was held 1-1 at Stade Reims. Nuremberg draws Hannover Nuremberg substitute Sebastian Polter scored in the second minute of injury time to rescue a 2-2 draw against Hannover in the Bundesliga Sunday, while Stuttgart ended its five-game losing run with a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim. — Agencies
