David Trezeguet rose to nod in the winner for Juventus with just two minutes to spare for their first home win over Lazio since 1997.
The Bianconeri had not beaten Lazio here in six years and were already defeated twice this season with a 2-0 scoreline, including the first leg of the Coppa Italia Final.
Marcello Lippi has never beaten Roberto Mancini in a League match and was forced to make changes with Paolo Montero suspended, Enzo Maresca, Alessandro Del Piero and Ciro Ferrara injured. He therefore fielded David Trezeguet as the lone striker upfront supported by Mauro Camoranesi, Gianluca Zambrotta and ex-Lazio star Pavel Nedved.
Lazio are still on track for fourth place and came to Turin looking to continue their fine record against the giants. Cesar was the third prong in a trident attack alongside Bernardo Corradi and Simone Inzaghi.
Juve had an aggressive start and within the opening minute Trezeguet nodded wide from eight yards, then a deflected Nedved free kick looped over the bar.
Lazio thought they had broken the deadlock on 17 minutes when Cesar's volley slammed into the roof of the net, but it was disallowed for offside. However, the Brazilian came from the back and only Simone Inzaghi was standing in an illegal position.
Zambrotta was playing in a more advanced position and his fierce rising drive was fingertipped over the bar after he had skipped past Jaap Stam.
Gianluigi Buffon did well to hold a Sinisa Mihajlovic free kick, while Alessio Tacchinardi and Camoranesi fired long-range efforts over the bar.
Lazio really should have taken the lead on the half-hour mark following another defensive howler from the Bianconeri. Nicola Legrottaglie's missed header let Stefano Fiore in and his cross was palmed out by Buffon into the path of Fabio Liverani, but the midfielder incredibly fired wide of the target.
Juve hit back when Nedved's curling cross was turned wide by Trezeguet under pressure from Mihajlovic, but Buffon was at full stretch to turn Cesar's dangerous cross past Stefano Fiore.
Just before the break Trezeguet released Camoranesi on the right flank and his angled drive whistled inches wide of the far post.
Roberto Mancini made a change at half-time, introducing the more attacking fullback Massimo Oddo for Jaap Stam.
The first scoring opportunity of the second half fell to Juventus, as a corner wasn't cleared effectively and Mark Iuliano drilled an angled effort wide.
Soon after Mihajlovic nearly scored directly from the corner flag, but Stephen Appiah was ready to clear at the near post.
Trezeguet's looping header was easily controlled by Matteo Sereni, then the Frenchman didn't quite reach a dangerous Zambrotta cross that only needed to be tapped into the net.
The two players changed places on 64 minutes when Zambrotta's powerful finish was over the bar.
Lazio made another substitution with striker Roberto Muzzi taking over from Simone Inzaghi in that trident attack. With his first touch the former Udinese star charged into the box and it took a crucial Legrottaglie challenge to prevent him scoring.
Juve's injury crisis deepend with Iuliano limping off, while Mihajlovic was able to carry on despite a muscular problem.
The Bianconeri needed a spark and threw on Fabrizio Miccoli for the final 13 minutes, moving Zambrotta back to his habitual left-back role.
Within two minutes of stepping on to the field Miccoli curled a free kick from a very tight angle that was fingertipped on to the crossbar by Matteo Sereni.
Lazio had timid penalty appeals for a handling offence by Zambrotta on Cesar's sweeping cross.
The deadlock was eventually broken with two minutes to spare as a Camoranesi cross was whipped in for the head of David Trezeguet. The Frenchman was allowed a free header into the far corner.
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