AC Milan’s Ronaldinho fights for the ball with Lazio’s Tommaso Brocchi during their Serie A match at Rome’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday. (AFP)

Rome: Brazilian centre back Thiago Silva scored for both sides on Sunday when AC Milan climbed to third in Serie A with a 2-1 win at troubled Lazio.

The centre back nodded in an Andrea Pirlo free kick from the left to put Milan ahead in the 22nd minute with his maiden Serie A goal.

His compatriot Pato also used his head to good effect to put away a Ronaldinho cross and make it 2-0, 10 minutes before the break before Silva unluckily deflected a Mauro Zarate shot into his own net in the 65th minute to set up a nervy climax.

The visitors held out under pressure to continue their recovery from a shaky start with a win that gives them 22 points from 12 games.

They are two points behind second-placed Juventus, who won 5-2 at Atalanta on Saturday, and six adrift of champions Inter Milan.

Lazio coach Davide Ballardini is now in serious danger of losing his job as his side have not won in the league since August and were hammered 4-1 at Villarreal in the Europa League on Thursday.

Milan leapfrogged Sampdoria, who lost 2-0 at Cagliari after having Marius Stankevicius sent off for a foul at the end of the first half.

Samp share fourth place with Fiorentina after the Tuscan team beat Udinese 1-0 away thanks to Juan Vargas’s freekick six minutes from time.

Earlier Napoli’s impressive form under new coach Walter Mazzarri appeared to fizzle out when they were held 0-0 at second-from-bottom Catania.

Meanwhile, in the Spanish League, Pedro netted twice and Thierry Henry scored his first of the season to set leaders Barcelona on their way to a 4-2 win over Real Mallorca Saturday, the victory keeping the champions a point clear of Real Madrid.

Second-placed Real, missing the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, held on for a 3-2 win at city rivals Atletico in the late match despite going down to 10 men in the 66th minute.

Real were cruising after Brazilians Kaka and Marcelo scored first-half goals and Gonzalo Higuain added a third on 64 minutes before Sergio Ramos was shown a straight red for a foul on Sergio Aguero.

Roared on by the home crowd, Diego Forlan pulled a goal back with 11 minutes of regular time left, Aguero added another three minutes later and Iker Casillas produced a superb save to deny the Argentina striker at the death as Real held firm.

Barca have 26 points from 10 matches, Real have 25 and Sevilla, in third, have 19. Atletico remain in the relegation zone on seven points with just one win.

Pellegrini appeared to be struck by an object thrown from the crowd midway through the second half but played down the incident at the post-match news conference and said he had not suffered any serious injury.

Barca manager Pep Guardiola fielded an unfamiliar starting line-up at the Nou Camp after consecutive draws against Osasuna and Rubin Kazan, leaving Spain midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta on the bench along with Argentina forward Lionel Messi.

The ploy seemed to be paying off when Zlatan Ibrahimovic released Pedro to slot home Barca’s first in the 11th minute but they were rocked back nine minutes later when Jose Carlos Nunes headed in from a corner.

Mallorca goalkeeper Dudu Aouate was unlucky to concede a second five minutes before halftime after he produced three reflex saves during a desperate goalmouth scramble to deny Pedro, Henry and Sergio Busquets. But Pedro eventually smashed the ball into the net from close range.

Pedro was again involved in Barca’s third four minutes later, floating a freekick to the far post that Busquets nodded back across goal for Henry to head into the empty net. Messi replaced Pedro in the 51st minute and stroked home a late penalty after Ibrahimovic was chopped down in the area before Alhassane Keita scored a consolation in added time.

Deportivo Coruna made light of having a player sent off in each half earlier on Saturday to win 2-0 at Getafe and climb above Valencia into fourth. Also on Saturday, Malaga fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at promoted Tenerife. (AGENCIES)