Napoli won 1-0 against Lecce Sunday through a last- gasp goal from Edinson Cavani that helped them move to within three points of Serie A leaders AC Milan, dpa reported.
Earlier Sunday, Lazio beat Udinese 3-2 with a late own goal to also move to 33 points.
Milan lost their game at home to Roma 1-0 on Saturday to stay on 36 points from 17 games and will end the year at the top as the league moves into a winter break until January 6.
"We deserve this standing," Lazio captain Stefano Mauri said. "If we are second, it is not by chance."
Uruguay bomber Cavani slammed home a great shot at the end of a fairly indifferent performance and is now the league top scorer on 10 goals next to Udinese's Antonio Di Natale.
Juventus, who could also have moved to 33 points, had a man sent off as they were held to a 1-1 in a dramatic away game to Chievo that left them on 31 points.
The Turin giants started off well in Verona, but their goalkeeper Marco Storari had to save them on 16 minutes with a great dive on his left to deflect a spot kick taken from Michele Marcolini after Giorgio Chiellini fouled Davide Moscardelli.
Danish defender Frederik Sorensen fired against the post on 28 minutes off an assist from Quagliarella, who three minutes later sent an overhead kick to graze the inner post to the left of Stefano Sorrentino.
Juve seemed able to control the game, but things grew difficult for them on 52 minutes after the dismissal of the young Manuel Giandonato for a foul on Frenchman Kevin Constant as he played his first Serie A game from the start.
Despite Chievo's hammering pressing, Juve came close on 70 minutes when Vincenzo Iaquinta missed an inviting chance off an assist from the fast Serb winger Milos Krasic, who with 10 minutes left fired against the bar at the end of an impressive run.
Bitterness followed the mistakes when Chievo veteran striker Sergio Pellissier flicked home in injury time to deny Juve a third straight win.
Palermo also disappointed their fans with a 1-1 draw against 10- man tail-enders Bari, Parma and Bologna drew 0-0 in a regional derby and Catania beat 1-0 visiting Brescia.
Sampdoria and Genoa close the weekend with a late city derby, while champions Inter Milan trail 13 points from the top with two games in hand.
The Nerazzurri spent the week in the United Arab Emirates where they won the Club World Cup Saturday with a 3-0 beating of African champions TP Mazembe.