Vidal helps Juve to 12 straight league wins. Juventus claimed a 12th straight Serie A win with a 4-2 triumph over Sampdoria to restore an eight-point lead at the top thanks to Arturo Vidal's first-half double and goals from Fernando Llorente and Paul Pogba. Antonio Conte's side moved to 55 points after an entertaining encounter in which Sampdoria showed great heart. The Turin side restored their advantage over second-placed AS Roma, who briefly closed the gap to five points after beating Livorno 3-0 earlier on Saturday.

Vidal broke the deadlock in the 18th minute and, after Llorente powerfully headed home the second from a corner six minutes later, the Chilean midfielder took his tally to 10 goals for the season with a penalty four minutes before halftime. The third goal was a blow for Sampdoria, after Sinisa Mihajlovic's side had got back into the game three minutes earlier when Juve's Andrea Barzagli diverted Manolo Gabbiadini's low cross into his own net.

Sampdoria, who kicked off having only lost one league game since the Serb took over in late November scored again in the 70th with Gabbiadini. Another huge sigh of relief went around a nervy Juventus Stadium with 12 minutes remaining when midfielder Pogba struck a powerful shot from distance that flew into the top corner.

Roma crush Livorno 3-0. AS Roma narrowed the gap on Serie A leaders Juventus to a provisional five points with a comfortable 3-0 win over lowly Livorno at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday. Goals from Mattia Destro, Kevin Strootman and Adem Ljajic put Roma on 47 points behind champions.

Rudi Garcia's Roma side, with captain Francesco Totti on the bench, were on top from the start with Destro opening the scoring after six minutes with an easy tap-in. A close-range strike from Strootman nine minutes before the break and Ljajic's goal with 12 minutes left saw Roma confirm their superiority in a devastating display. They also missed a host of chances with forward Gervinho.