Roma coach Luciano Spalletti insists the Scudetto remains a wide-open race, despite yesterday's victory over Udinese helping them move clear alongside Inter Milan.

"It is far too early to say," warned Spalletti after the top two broke away despite having a game in hand.

"The sides that only play once a week have a real advantage, both physical and psychological. On Wednesday Inter and Roma could extend the gap, but it is premature to suggest the others are cut out of the race.

"Positions can still be turned around, especially in those periods when there are a lot of matches piled up that can demolish a squad."

Roma defeated Udinese 2-1 and their coach Pasquale Marino said: "We can have regrets over this game, but we lost against one of the clubs that could win the title.

"It is true that we could have scored the equaliser when it was nine against 11, though. We were a little tense at the end and Andrea Dossena was sent off for dissent."

In the space of a minute Udinese had two dismissals for Giampaolo Pinzi's scything tackle on Juan and Dossena taking his protests too far.