Italy wakes from mid-season break to find Juve out of sight

At 8.47pm on Sunday night, Italian football returned from its winter break; at 10.37pm, the title race was over.

It feels that way at least, after a 3-0 Juventus win against Roma that emphasised the gulf in class that has opened up between first and the rest in Serie A.

Roma finished with nine men after their players lost their heads with 15 minutes left. Two red cards and a penalty in the space of 84 seconds is a spectacular way to commit suicide but they were already well beaten by then.