Juventus suffered their first ever Bentegodi defeat and their crisis has now reached critical levels.

Ciro Ferrara kept his job thanks to a 3-0 midweek Coppa Italia win over Napoli, with goals from Diego and Alessandro Del Piero, but the pressure was still on as even third place in Serie A was under threat. An injury crisis meant Del Piero was the only available striker, so Michele Paolucci was recalled from his loan at Siena only yesterday and thrown straight into the starting XI.

David Trezeguet, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Mauro Camoranesi, Sebastian Giovinco, Christian Poulsen and Martin Caceres were sidelined, Momo Sissoko at the Africa Cup of Nations and Amauri suspended, but at least Gigi Buffon was back after knee surgery. Chievo were still without star striker Sergio Pellissier due to head trauma.

Chievo had previously managed just one point from a total seven editions of this fixture, back in 2005-06. The Flying Donkeys had the first chance in the opening minute, as Elvis Abbruscato immediately tested Buffon after springing the offside trap.

Zdenek Grygera accidentally got an elbow to the nose from Pablo Granoche, but was able to continue for some time despite bleeding heavily. He eventually left the field at the half-hour mark.

Buffon had to rush off his line to clear from Granoche and there was a huge scare on 27 minutes when Giorgio Chiellini accidentally prodded the ball into his own net, but the goal was disallowed due to an Abbruscato push on the defender.

Chievo did get their first Serie A goal of 2010 with Gennaro Sardo. The defender gathered a clearance outside the box and Paolo De Ceglie inexplicably backed off, giving him the time and space to line up an angled drive into the far bottom corner.

Rather than fight back, the Bianconeri seemed psychologically wounded by the opener and struggled to come forward. Just before the break they finally threatened an equaliser when Claudio Marchisio failed to turn in after the ball ricocheted around the box.

More injury woe for the Bianconeri, as Zebina - who had replaced Grygera due to a head injury - was bleeding heavily from his forehead following a mid-air collision with Granoche. The Chievo player was booked for raising his elbow.

Diego has struggled so far this season, but seemed a different player at the Bentegodi an often took on the Chievo defence single-handed.

The third player to spill blood for the Juventus cause was Fabio Cannavaro, who slipped and caught his face on Granoche's studs, causing a nasty cut to the nose.

Del Piero's free kick and a Cannavaro header landed meekly in Stefano Sorrentino's arms. If anything, Chievo threatened a second when Giampiero Pinzi's shot was charged down by Zebina in the box.