AC Milan drew 1-1 late Sunday at home against Lazio and only in part profited from a defeat suffered by Serie A leaders Inter Milan, dpa reported.
A sparkling Roma beat Inter 2-1 late Saturday at Rome's Stadio Olimpico to move within one point of the top, while Milan trail three points adrift with seven games left.
At the Giuseppe Meazza, Ignazio Abate had a chance for the Devils in the first minute but only managed a feeble, central shot off a deep feed from Clarence Seedorf.
The veteran Dutchman had the task of supporting forwards Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello as the Devils missed both suspended play makers Andrea Pirlo and Brazilian Ronaldinho.
Seedorf fired a searing wide drive on 10 minutes before Lazio replied with efforts, also wide, from Argentines Ledesma and Mauro Zarate wide.
A further drive from Seedorf was saved on 17 minutes, shortly before Serbian Aleksandar Kolarov's tackle on Frenchman Mathieu Flamini was sanctioned with a spot kick.
Uruguayan Fernando Muslera had bravely saved Seedorf's firm effort but only managed to scratch the firm shot from Borriello from the spot.
The Devils seemed able to harness Lazio's equalizing effort, but the Rome guests managed to score on 32 minutes as Stephan Lichtsteiner of Switzerland flicked home after a botched clearance from Luca Antonini.
Antonini had a chance to make amends on 54 minutes but sent his shot against the bar after leaving the Lazio defence standing, while Borriello fired a high volley and Lazio's Brazilian Andre Dias also volleyed high from few metres off.
In earlier Sunday games, a goal from often-criticized Felipe Melo allowed troubled giants Juventus to snatch a 2-1 win at home to lowly Atalanta.
The win rekindled Juve's hopes to clinch the fourth available Champions League berth currently occupied by Palermo, who beat Bologna 3-1 on Saturday with a hat-trick from Fabrizio Miccoli.
Fiorentina won 4-1 against struggling Udinese, Genoa drew 0-0 at second-last Siena, Chievo and Parma also drew 0-0 at mid-table, and bottom side Livorno drew 1-1 at home to Bari.