Fiorentina held off the threat of Champions League rivals Inter Milan for another week in a dramatic 3-2 win at Atalanta that saw second-half goals from Matias Fernandez, Cristian Tello and Nikola Kalinic.

Inter Milan's 3-1 win at home to Sampdoria and on Saturday meant the Viola travelled to Bergamo desperate for a win to tighten their grip on third place.

But it took until after the hour before the visitors broke the deadlock, Fernandez sending a looping header over Marco Sportiello from 10 yards out following Tello's cross from the right.

Fiorentina looked to be cruising when former Barcelona forward Tello ran down the middle to beat Sportiello at the second attempt to double Fiorentina's lead nine minutes from the end.

But Andrea Conti pounced on a loose ball a yard from goal following a corner to reduce the arrears three minutes later and although Kalinic directed Borja Valero's delivery past Sportiello on 87 minutes it was a nervous finish for Paulo Sousa's men with Mauricio Pinilla hitting a late consolation for the hosts.

Fiorentina remain third at six points behind leaders Juventus, who, after a scoreless draw at Bologna on Friday, could lose top spot to Napoli if they beat AC Milan on Monday.

Inter sit four points behind Fiorentina but they could lose fourth spot to Roma, who are one point behind, if they account for Palermo later Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico.

Elsewhere Genoa had goalkeeper Mattia Perin to thank for stopping Antonio Di Natale's last-minute penalty as the hosts secured a 2-1 win against Udinese to end a five-game winless run.

Udinese took a 33rd minute lead when defender Kadhim Ali Adnan's free kick from 40 yards bounced just before it reached Perin to land in the back of the net.

Ali Adnan made history by becoming the first Iraqi to score in Italy's Serie A, but the goals dried up for Udinese thereafter.

Genoa kept their composure and were repaid just before the hour when Alessio Cerci beat Orestis Karnezis from the spot following handball in the Udinese area.

Genoa punished poor defending to take a 70th minute lead, Diego Laxalt pouncing at the near post to slam a rebound from a long-distance drive into the back of the net.

Udinese earned the chance to pull level in the final minute but Di Natale, in what could be his final season in Italy's top flight, saw his spot-kick saved by Perin.

Pole Piotr Zielinski gave Empoli a 36th minute lead at Sassuolo when he was left unmarked to fire an angled strike past Andrea Consigli at the sun-drenched Mapei Stadium.

But Domenico Berardi's superb volley from outside the area pulled the hosts level just before half-time and a quickfire brace from Gregoire Defrel shortly after the restart put Sassuolo firmly in command by the 50th minute.

Veteran Empoli striker Massimo Maccarone reduced the arrears from the spot on 70 minutes but Sassuolo held on for a ninth win of the season to sit in seventh, at 20 points behind Juventus.